Runs galore but the Rs still fall short.

 

Alcester and Ragley visited Rowington this Saturday and, having lost the toss, were promptly asked to bat.

 

Ragley captain, Ben Lee, and partner Bennett started steadily but despatched any bad ball and, with Bennett riding his luck with edges past the keeper and slip off the luck-less Steve Jay, it seemed that

a large total was beckoning. With Rowington losing two of their usual bowlers at the last minute, it meant that Steve Jay had to bowl his ten straight through and regular keeper, Tom Jefferson, became the fifth bowler.

Jay completed his ten for a meagre 34 runs but no wicket had fallen. It wasn't until the captain, Scott Rogers, replaced young Danny Chinn that the breakthrough was made, as Lee pushed one towards mid off which saw

a diving Danny Chinn snap him up with a fine catch for 36 runs. The total was on 83, Stratin fell to Jefferson for 10, again to a diving catch by the salmon-like Chinn, and the luck then ran out for Bennett as Leon Clarke

had him LBW for 74. The score was on 130 and Clark was joined at the crease by Westwood. Clark punished anything slightly off line as the ball was plundered to the boundary time and again and they added 78 in ten overs to move the score to 208 before Westwood (15) skied one off Chinn, who yet again caught it himself. Clark was still there; Strain helped him move the score to 263 before he was bowled by Chinn for 16 and Clark went for a big one off the last ball, only to be safely pouched by Clive Haywood in the deep for a fine innings of 79. Peachy 4 no and Ragley ended their innings on 279 - 6.

Jay 0 - 33 off 10, Chinn 2 - 63 off his 10, Rogers 2 - 73 off his, Clarke 1 - 51 off 8 and Jefferson 1 - 45 off 7, the tired Rowington bowlers!

 

After one of the most extravagant teas produced at Rowington, the opening batsmen, Scott Rogers and Clive Haywood, waddled out to chase the mammoth target down. They put on 32 before Rogers was caught in the deep off Reader for 24. Tom Jefferson, obviously tired from his bowling, failed to trouble the scorers and dollied one up off Bennett, so it was the ever reliable Simon Cross who helped Haywood steady the ship. They moved the score to 71 before Haywood (17) was bowled by Westwood. Alex Smith added a brisk 6, getting caught off Warbrick, and Matt Page, looking every inch the professional in all his new gear, lasted about as long as it took to write his name in each garment as he went for 10. In came man of the moment Chinn and, with Cross, they added 85 to take Rowington past the 200 before Cross went for 84 with the score on 216. Anthony Baldrick Collins lasted a single ball as he edged to the keeper off Capron, and so it was left to the experienced Steve Jay to come in and ensure that the Ragley boys grabbed no extra points with an over to go. Jay guided the first ball for a four and, like the true professional, blocked out the next couple and left one unintentionally as it missed the edge, but he saw out the over and the Rs were 220 - 7 some 59 runs short.

Bennett 1 - 34, Reader 1 - 25, Westwood 2 - 47, Warbrick 2 - 33 and Capron 1 - 45 the Ragley wicket takers.

 

An unfortunate loss for the Rs but still 8 good points taken sees them remain mid - table.

Steve Jay