Cricket
ON a sunny but breezy September afternoon at Raby, the top two teams in the Darlington and District Cricket League A Division played the 2019 title decider.
Going into the game, reigning champions Haughton were eight points ahead of unbeaten second placed Raby Castle and with 20 points available to the winners, it was a real ‘winner takes all’ climax to the season.
Raby captain Joe Dent won the toss and decided to bat first.
Openers Matt Dent and Simon Lee put on 33 for the first wicket before Lee (19) was out LBW to Mark Little.
Joe Dent (1) was next out, bowled by Danny Maguire and when Peter Forster joined Matt Dent they initially steadied the Raby innings and then went on the attack and the pair put on 129 runs for the third wicket.
Mark Dobinson then picked up three quick wickets Peter Forster (59) Andrew West (3) and James Forster (0) but Matt Dent continued to smash the ball to all parts of the ground as Raby put on 90 runs in the last eight overs.
Matt Dent carried his bat for a magnificent 130 not out as he was supported in the final overs by Gareth Walton.
Mark Dobinson finished with three for 56 and while Mark Little took one for 65, Danny Maguire took one for 35 and Jack Riley went wicketless for 36, the pick of the Haughton bowlers was Craig Edwards who bowled 10 overs for just 22 runs.
The Haughton reply started well with openers Sam Bainbridge and Craig Edwards putting on 33 runs before Haughton captain Bainbridge was out for four caught behind by Matt Dent off the bowling of Joe Beadle in the sixth over.
Then in an excellent spell of seven overs Joe Beadle took three more quick wickets, Danny Maguire (10), quickly followed by Mark Burton (0) and then Mark Dobinson (18)
When Gary Close (1) was bowled by James Forster, Haughton were reduced to 91 for five and their reply was in trouble. However the dangerous in form Craig Edwards was still in and the score quickly moved to over 140 before Edwards was out LBW to Simon Lee for an excellent 73.
Of the remaining Haughton batsmen Mark Little (47) carried his bat, supported by Danny Carr (14), Mike Brown (0), Adam Sams (2) and Jack Riley (3n/o) but the Haughton innings closed on 186 for 9 after 40 overs.
Raby won by 33 runs and in doing so remained unbeaten in the league
The pick of the bowlers was Joe Beadle (4-37), he was backed up by Simon Lee (3-49), James Forster (1-36) and Dan Lee (0-31)
The A Division Trophy was presented to Joe Dent by the SG Petch D&DCL treasurer John Holehouse who congratulated Raby on winning the league title.
He thanked both teams for an excellent game which proved to be a fitting end to a terrific and exciting season.
Joe Dent in his reply praised his team for going unbeaten throughout the season in the league and he thanked Haughton for a really competitive game played in the right spirit.
Joe thanked the umpires Barbir Noor for standing in the match, ably supported by Mark Hedley and the Raby groundsmen for their hard work preparing the wicket and outfield throughout the season.
Joe then dedicated the win to Graeme Kitching who sadly passed away last week.
Graeme was a regular spectator up at Raby following a long playing career with Ingleton in the Darlington and District Cricket League. He was a popular character throughout the league and a regular member of ‘critics’ corner’ up at Raby.
Steve Caygill
