OUTCASTS BEAT ALKBOROUGH IN NORTH LINDSEY DIV 2 CUP FINAL

BY GLEN SANDS

Outcasts produced an excellent team performance to lift the North Lindsey League Division Two KO Cup at Luddington against last year's winners Alkborough for whom this was a rare defeat.With so much rain having fallen on the evening prior to the match Luddington's groundsman Dill Pullan had performed something of a miracle just to get the game played but as the game progressed  conditions improved and in the end the Isle side were worthy winners by 63 runs. Alkborough won the toss and inserted Outcasts , quickly picking up the wicket of Josh Bramhill , caught behind by Dave Kilgallon off Jake SAstle with the total on six then opener Jamie Belton and Scott Buttrick took the score to 33 before the latter was caught by Josh Baker off Fred Warburton for 15. Peter Tait joined Belton and they were made to work hard for their runs by some tight bowling by the Alkborough attack then Tait went , caught by Matt Baxter off Liam Hebblewhite for nine. Belton was batting sensibly , gathering his runs steadily whilst wickets fell at the other end , Russell Fletcher and Richard Wroot falling cheaply as Outcasts slipped to 76 for 5 but Charlie Mason strode to the middle and along with the ever increasingly confident Belton they took the game to their opponents , moving to three figures and beyond with some excellent play. They added 55 runs for the sixth wicket of which Mason made 32 with five boundaries before he was caught by Kilgallon off Warburton then Belton brought up an exceptional half century then he powered on to finish the innings on 76 not out having batted right through , leaving Outcasts on 148 for 6 from their 40 overs , Warburton and Josh Baker picking up two wickets each.
After a delicious tea provided by Lois and Mick Clark, Outcasts took to the field looking for early success against the Cup holders and that is just what happened as skipper Liam McAnaney led from the front. It was Graeme Fletcher who picked took the first wicket when trapping Matt Baxter LBW with the total on six and only one further run had been added when Dave Kilgallon was out , caught at backward square by Charlie Mason off McAnaney. Macca then produced a beauty to dismiss Liam Hebblewhite and the roar that accompanied Russell Fletcher's catch to dismiss danger man VK Raj could be heard in Crowle as Alkborough slumped to 13 for 4. Runs were proving hard to come by as skipper Paul Mitchell and Josh Barker dug in to try and piece together a partnership and for a while they held up the Outcasts charge. Mitch had reached 21 when he was caught by Scott Buttrick off Lee Gash , the total having reached 50 but they were still behind the required rate as the Isle side continued to bowl quite tightly. Will Harrison let loose with a flurry of boudaries before being involved in a mix up that saw Josh Baker run out for 20 then Scott Buttrick trapped Harrison LBW for 18 and the writing was on the wallat 79 for 7. Liam McAnaney and Buttrick then wrapped things up , McAnaney having Fred Warburton caught by Graeme Fletcher before Buttrick took two in two to leave Alkborough 85 all out , clinching the victory by more than sixty runs. McAnaney finished with the remarkable figures of eight overs five maidens four for six and Buttrick three for nine in what proved to be a well deserved win for the Priorymen.
NLL fixture secretary Glen Sands presented Liam McAnaney with the trophy and a cheque for £50 after thanking Luddington for the use of their facilities and congratulating Alkborough on  their previously long unbeaten run that had seen them go over a year without defeat after which both clubs retired to the River Don who kindly provided them with an after-match sausage, beans and chip supper.