Barnard Castle CC
WITH barely a pause for breath, Barney increased their lead at the top of the NYSD Premier League to 19 points on Saturday. They defeated Darlington by 205 runs, bowling out their old derby rivals for 62 in 24 overs.
It was Barney’s third consecutive victory and the most crushing. Their innings was built around a masterful hundred from Richard Borrowdale whose 111 – he was out to the last ball of the innings - came from 94 balls and contained three sixes and 14 fours.
Darlington then found themselves swiftly dismantled by Josh Bousfield whose pace, full length and movement away was irresistible and supported by top drawer catching. Before they knew it, Darlington were 16-7 and although they then recovered slightly from 34-9, there was to be no avoiding an inevitable outcome. Bousfield took the first five wickets at a cost of only eight runs and James Wainman the last five. There was no need for any other bowlers.
If Barney’s all-round display thoroughly merited the 25 points which leaves them ahead of Thornaby in second place, it was also possible to reflect that there are small margins. In the early part of the game, Darlington showed their own credentials as title contenders and made Barney work for every run.
Wainman was out in the first over chasing a wide one, Hashan Dumindu and James Quinn were both bowled after promising much. Finn Usher was a model of probity and patience. At 56-3 in the 17th over, Barney faced a dour struggle. Then came what Darlington will reflect on as the crucial moment.
Borrowdale, yet to score, reached for a ball outside off stump and edged it towards Liam Coates at first slip. Wicketkeeper Andrew Sturgeon dived in front of him but could only palm the ball into Coates’s stomach, the ball going agonisingly to ground.
It was Borrowdale’s first and last error as he marshalled the innings superbly, soon upping the ante.
Although young Finn fell to a smart slip catch, his job done, support then came from Pat Roberts, Giles Creedon and Bousfield who shared stands of 41, 77 and 57 with Borrowdale.
Such a commanding total immediately put pressure on Darlington and they folded.
Wicketkeeper Phil Merryweather took an outstanding initial catch low to his right to dismiss the classy and dangerous Tom Hewison and there were plenty of other athletic examples to follow. Dumindu at point and Roberts at cover and third slip held on to breathtaking chances.
Alex Metcalfe offered admirable defiance but it was too little and much too late for his side.
Barney
J Wainman c Sturgeon b Coates 4; F Usher c Coates b Charlton 31, H Dumindu b Davies 10, J Quinn b Coates 14, R Borrowdale c Hutton b Coates 111, P Roberts lbw Charlton 10, G Creedon c Metcalfe b Coates 34, J Bousfield not out 27, Extras 26, Total 267 for 7 (50 overs)
Bowling – L Coates 15-2-75-4, M Davies 9-3-22-1, P Armstrong 7-0-32-0, S Charlton 14-1-74-2, P Greenwell 5-0-47-0.
Darlington
T Hewison c Merryweather b Bousfield 4, P Greenwell c Roberts b Wainman 1, L Coates c Borrowdale b Bousfield 0, L Hutton c Merryweather b Bousfield 0, P Freary c Dumindu b Bousfield 4, C Lethbridge c Merryweather b Bousfield 0, A Metcalfe not out 33, M Davies b Wainman 0, A Sturgeon c Roberts b Wainman 2, S Charlton c Roberts b Wainman 1, P Armstrong c Dixon b Wainman 9, Extras 8, Total 62 all out (24 overs)
Bowling – J Bousfield 12-5-39-5, J Wainman 12-6-15-5.
Barney won by 205 runs
Maltby v Barney II
BARNEY II, a mixture of the tried and trusted and the unknown and untried, secured an impressive victory at Maltby. The top of the order all performed creditably, led by Tom Merryweather whose 101no was his third senior century and his first for the seconds. Opener Owen Peddelty again gave the team a solid start, the rest happily chipped in.
Maltby lost wickets too regularly to challenge, with left arm medium pacer Tom Brooks doing the damage at the top, Cameron McKnight accounting for the top scorers and Peter Stanwix cutting off the tail.
Barney 258 all out (49.5 overs, T Merryweather 101no, O Peddelty 37, A Bainbridge 28, R Stanwix 28, R Hutchinson 19, A Hill 2-31, A Haines 2-51); Maltby 133 all out (34.5 overs, A Hill 50, A Baines 32, T Brooks 3-47, P Stanwix 3-12, C McKnight 2-22).
Barney won by 125 runs.
Barney III v Thornaby III
ON another day more fitted to the Iditarod, the young and inexperienced Barney side lost by eight wickets.
They recovered well after being 28 for six as Dan Watson and Shane Mullery shared a partnership of 67.
Watson played some meaningful attacking shots and deserved his half century before his off stump was trimmed.
It looked as though Barney’s total would put them with a chance but Thornaby’s opening pair put paid to that idea with a frisky 80 for the first wicket.
Barney 122-9 (40 overs, D Watson 46, S Mullery 22, E Woolston 3-23, D Mpfofu 2-8); Thornaby 125-2 (28.1 overs, M Roxburgh 46, L Bould 33, H Spaxman 24no).
Thornaby won by 8 wickets.
