A fourth consecutive league win for Earls Colne Sunday XI as we won by three wickets away at Great Horksley….
Winning the toss (and fielding once again)..Earls Colne made a good start with Joe Smith and James Durkin reducing Horksley to 34 for 4 off of 11 overs, some great catches taken by David Holme, Himesh Patel and Archie Wilkinson meant we were on top in the early stages, however danger man Number 6 Niall Fitzgerald strode to the crease and smote poor old Smith for 28 off one over (Is this an Earls Colne record?, Oakers please find out). However with a couple of bowling changes with the introduction of Ben Mason and Chris Chambers, meant that Fitzgerald could only inflict damage for a limited period, being caught by David Holme on the deep mid on Boundary for 32. Colne made heavy weather of dismissing the Horksley lower order, ‘nodding off’ for at least 10 overs which allowed number 7 Mula to accumulate 43 not out, Smith, Durkin and Chambers took another one apiece of the bottom order to dismiss Horksley for 165 in the 37th over…about 40 more than they should have got. Bowling figures Joe Smith 10-3-49-3 (including 28 in over!), James Durkin 9-1-31-3, Ben Mason 5-3-14-1, Chris Chambers 8.2-1-41-2, Archie Wilkinson 4-0-24-1..
It had been a while since we had to chase a decent score, after the recent low chases vs Kirby, Gosfield etc…things did not look good first up when Smith (on a barren run) was dismissed for 7, Harry was continuing his great form, latching onto anything short. Himesh played some nice shots before he was dismissed Stumped (how else?) for 18. And we were in a bit of bother 39 for 2, however what was to happen next was quite remarkable. David Holme having not played since April came to the crease, at his mercurical best. However a new Holme seems to have returned from America, one with focus and concentraion!, he smote Graeson Laitt who had dismissed Himesh first ball for 2,4,6,4 and 6 in his first five deliveries…Holme meant business and continued to smite most of the deliveries that came his way (i think he had one dot ball in his whole innings)…eventually he was dismissed for 47 but it had put us into a great positon taking us to 107 for 3 in the space of 8 overs. Harry was dismissed soon after for 32. Good work by Chris Wilkinson and the freshly ‘fired’ from Greece George Cranfield who put together a partnership off 44 (Cranfield 22, Chris 17). to lead us to 152 for 4. Game won we thought, however as Colne always seem to do, we make lives very difficult for ourselves, George having a rush of blood to the head, charging down the wicket like a bull in a china shop and getting caught, Chris was bowled, Archie Wilkinson was also bowled. Meaning we were quickly 158 for 7, however Chris Chambers and James Durkin saw us over the line (wise heads).
A win by three wickets…
EARLS COLNE 20 POINTS… GREAT HORKSLEY 6 POINTS
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