Cavaliers vs Winscombe

The Cavaliers came through a nervy batting performance to win against Winscombe by three wickets. Skipper Axon won the toss on a wet wicket where the rain had got under the covers. Ed Mellor and Steve Giles opened up with probing spells giving nothing away. Giles was proving masterful on the wet wicket with the batsman chipping the ball in the air a number of times but the ball not going to hand. Just as it seemed the breakthrough would not be made skipper Hutchinson drove to Tom Burgess at short mid-on who took a great catch low down. Progress continued to be slow for Winscombe as they reached only 50 runs after twenty overs. C Fraser (brother of Jack) began to play a few shots until he hit a full toss to Axon at mid-wicket. John House then bowled an uncharacteristic frugal spell and dismissed Perry with a low full toss or Yorker depending on how charitable you are, finishing with 1 for 16 off 8. J Bawden then was bowled by Burgess for 0. In all this time opener S Bawden was at the other end steadily accumulating. Burgess then dismissed Searle for 9 and then Hall for 0 with another catch from the skipper. Despite a late flourish from Gunning with 9 not out Bawden was unable to break free of the Deane shackles batting through the 45 overs for 39 not out, leaving the Cavaliers a testing target of 130. Tom Burgess finishing with figures of 12-5-26-4.

The Cavaliers chase did not start well with Harry Smith being adjudged LBW for 0. Dave Stephenson was next to depart for 11 and when Ben Coomber was bowled playing across the line for 8, the Cavaliers were in a spot of bother. Val Simillien was next to departing for 2 and when the dependable Ryan Marsh went for 3 it seemed as though the Cavaliers were in serious danger of losing their second game of the season. Despite losing wickets the scoring rate was good and Axon and Ed Mellor then set about repairing the damage. With Axon taking the senior partner role and Mellor mixing sound defence with aggression on the short ball the pair inched the score to just below the 100 mark with Axon hitting a straight six off Elvin’s. Mellor was then dismissed for 13 LBW to Mayne. Tom Burgess the joined Axon and chanced his arm for an important 14 including 3 fours until he was bowled by the returning Gunning leaving the Cavaliers a nervy 16 to win. After a couple of singles Axon then hit a four off Hall to leave 5 runs needed. John House then took a sighter off the first ball of the over and deposited Gunning over the fence for 6 to seal the victory.

Man of the Match Charlie Axon