Battle of the Manhood Peninsular

With the honour of the two local teams from the Manhood Peninsular at stake, the game was more than just a league cricket game. No grudges but the willingness of being the best in the west.

The home team won the toss and asked the visitors to bat from a covered wicket after the night before rains, but the wicket was true and firm. However with Mark Taylor out 3rd ball by a Yorker from Josh Rank it looked like the right decision.

Nevertheless, Steve Day had other ideas and smashed the ball to all parts of the ground with his 11 boundaries. With small contributions from the middle order we had to wait for Kieran Baker to enter before the scoreboard started to look more respectful.

With the score rising the home teams heads started to drop and in the end when struggling at 79 for 6 a target of 178 for 8 at the end of 40 overs. Day 70, Baker 41, with Rank 3 for 25 and William Beale 2 for 37.

With a score on the board the West Wittering team attacked from ball one and they picked up the first wicket in the second over. Excellent catch by the skipper Kevin Allsobrook at square leg off the bowling from the impressive Oli Bowman.

After 12 over Baker after his batting exploits kept it tight but the changes in the game were from Allsobrook, who carved and changed his bowling ball after ball and bagged the next 3 wickets, their potential match winning batsmen.

William Beale did look imposing and John Fuller was magnificent, but after these players where back in the hutch the rest just crumbled like an old of date Apple Pie. Jack Harte came on at the end and finished off the tail and it was honours to the visitors and a wonderfully played game.

John Fuller end off with 67, Beale 33, with Noah Black 16, Michael Clowes 14 were the only players in double figures. Allsobrook ended up with 4 for 22, Harte 3 for 33.