Rowington bog the Marsh boys down

 

In Saturday's game Moreton-in-Marsh visited Rowington and promptly decided to bowl. Scott Rogers and Alex Smith put on 26 before Rogers went on 26, Smith playing his usual waiting game! Eike Gilbert came and went back just as quick, run out. Smith was then joined by man of the moment Simon Cross, and they moved the score to 76 before Smith was caught for 24. Matt Page went LBW for 8 and the Rs were struggling on 136 when Tommy Williams was run out for 18. Cross added another 38 and then succumbed to Currell for another fine innings of 77. Tom Jefferson and Clive Haywood then started to push and, with good running and hard hitting, they pushed the Rs up to 234 off their 45 overs.

Jefferson 40 no and big hitting Haywood 29 no (a career best?). Currell 2 - 46, Newbold and Bandeira both 1 - 53.

In reply Moreton knew they had to make a good start but, with Jay bowling his usual tight line and Rogers unusually doing the same, they were finding runs hard to come by. They eventually reached 79 and a change of bowling saw Gilbert bowl Newbold for 42. Hauliman then decided he'd had enough and skyed one off Andy Shaw which Rogers snapped up. Hauliman getting 48 but not needing to hit out could have cost the Marshmen, Mills (26) was playing some good shots but he also had the same idea as Hauliman, charged Leon Clarke and Jefferson stumped him. Rogers came back and had Bandeira LBW for 1 and a sharp run out from Clarke had Millard way short. Gilbert got Cross to edge one - Moreton were 135 - 5 and in a similar position to the Rs. Unfortunately their batting then ran out - the last 5 batsmen only made another 19 runs and they were all out for 154. A diving one handed caught and bowled from Rogers was the highlight of those last wickets to fall.

Frank Rogers 2 - 27, Frank Jay 0 - 32, Frank Shaw 2 - 57, Frank Gilbert 3 - 27 and Frank Clarke 2 - 8 the bowlers.

A special thanks to Frank Sly for all his advice on the boundary. Without his firm and frank finding Jay would never have recovered from the tongue lashing received from his captain. In a frank discussion after the game it was decided that Jay was right and Rogers wrong and all was back to normal in the bar afterwards!!!

Steve Jay