OWMBY BEAT OUTCASTS IN RARE DOUBLE-HEADER

BY GLEN SANDS

The Owmby v Outcasts game on Saturday, May 25th was played as a double header, not just as a George Marshall Trophy first round tie but also for division one points, as agreed by the Lincolnshire County Cricket League committee following issues with the Todmoor ground on which Owmby play their games.The ground looked a picture on the first really pleasant day of the 2013 season but sadly for Outcasts they once again showed a batting frailty that has dogged them in several matches going back to last season.
Owmby were invited to bat first by skipper Liam McAnaney , deputising for the injured Richard Wroot and his opposite number Raki Chander Nair set about the Outcasts attack with relish , racing to 32 in no time with an array of terrific shots. He was out for 32 just as he appeared set for a big innings , caught by Russell Fletcher off the bowling of Tom Sharpe who unfortunately was only able to bowl three overs due to a back problem. Sam Atkin and Kevin Bowring took Owmby's score to 64 before Graham Clark trapped the latter LBW for 18 which brought Dave Hill to the crease to join Atkin and the runs continued to flow. Clark picked up a second wicket when Atkin was well caught by a diving Matthew Teal at mid off , the Owmby man having scored 19 then Outcasts began to stem the flow as Clark and Liam McAnaney bowled good tight lines. Cieron Deegan had strode to the middle but could'nt find any fluency and he was next to go for ten when Graham Clark took a tremendous one handed catch off the bowling of Graeme Fletcher. Dave Hill was batting well and along with veteran wicketkeeper/ batsman Ed Chappell moved the total to 135 before Hill was caught by Graeme Fletcher off slow bowler Scott Buttrick just four short of what would have been a deserved half century. The same combination accounted for Chappell when he had made 11 then Matthew Teal bowled Dan Hill for 13 leaving Joe Atkin ( 8 not out ) and James Cooper ( one not out ) as the innings finished on 163 for 7. Graham Clark picked up figures of 2 for 33 and Buttrick 2 for 40 but special mention should also go to captain Liam McAnaney who's nine overs went for just 19.
For Outcasts to succeed in overhauling Owmby's score they needed someone to play the anchor role around whom the others would bat but as has often been the case that simply did'nt happen with several players getting a start only to then lose their wicket. Darren Clark was first to go , once again bowled by a leg stump yorker this time by James Cooper , a mode of dismissal hereally needs to work on and without a further run added Matthew Teal was out caught behind by ED Chappell off Dave Hill leaving Outcasts on 20 for 2.The two seniors of the side , Andy Lawson and Andy Torr took the total to 52 before Lawson was caught at deep mid off by Ciaron Deegan to give Hill a second wicket , having scored 20 then Torr guided the ball into the hands of home skipper Raki Chander Nair at slip off Deegan and the Isle side were stuttering at 69 for 4. Scott Buttrick and Peter Tait then steadied the ship but just as they looked set to make a counter attack Buttrick was out for twenty , caught and bowled by Sam Atkin. Russell Fletcher was next to join Tait who was by then Outcasts main hope of guiding them home and once again for a while it loked promising as they took the score to 91 , then Fletcher hit a catch to Neil Looker having made seven and the visitors were six down. Owmby were scenting victory with twin spin duo Sam Atkin and Ciaron Deegan tightening the screw. Number eight batsman Graham Clark was bowled by Deegan for just a single with the total on 107 then came the major blow when Deegan induced an across the line shot from Tait who was bowled for 30 leaving his team fifty runs short of their target. There was to be no sting in the tail as Dan and Dave Hill picked up the last wickets which meant a first win for Owmby and a 2nd round home tie against Haxey 2nds on June 22nd.
So it was a case of deja vue for Outcasts who once again failed to win a game in which they might have done better had someone stepped up to the plate but they will have to dust themselves off in time to take on league leaders Horncastle on Saturday which could just be the game they need to bounce back. As for Owmby they will hope this win will be a spring board for the rest of their season starting with a home fixture against Louth 2nds.
It was a poor day all round for Outcasts as their 2nd eleven crashed out of the Bob Welton Cup against Cleethorpes 3rds at Hirst Priory. Captain Jason Whiteley top scored with 24 and James Glew hit 21 as Outcasts registered a score of 129 for 8 but that was nowhere near enough as the Meggies cruised to 132 for 1 in only 26 overs , Mike Chamberlain hitting 57 and Lewis Markham 55 not out to earn them a 2nd Round match at Scothern 2nds on June 22nd.