RICH AT WROOT OF BROUGHTON'S CUP EXIT

By Glen Sands

Outcasts and Broughton second eleven sides produced an excellent game of cricket at Hirst Priory in what can only be described as autumnal conditions with a hefty wind blowing and cloudy skies above.
Broughton were invited to bat first by home skipper Ian Fletcher and they were soon one down when their captain Dave Jones was trapped LBW by Alex Fletcher for three with the total on just seven, but from that moment on Nick Crawford and Oliver Reid batted well to guide their team past the half century mark. The scoring rate wasn't particularly quick as Fletcher, Jonathan Wroot and Matthew Teal kept things tight but they were setting things up by not giving away their wickets. The score had reached 77 when Reid was bowled by Graham Clark for 33 well constructed runs, then Clark struck twice more when bowling Brett Fish for 10 and having Rob Ward caught by Scott Buttrick for nought, leaving Broughton on 89 for 4. Shaun Clark became his namesake's fourth victim when he holed out to Jonathan Wroot having made just seven when the total had reached 97 and two runs had been added when Danny Thompson was comprehensively stumped by Andy Colebrook off the bowling of Ian Fletcher without getting off the mark. Throughout it all, however, Nick Crawford was steadily accumulating runs and when joined by Lee Stothard they began to rebuild the Broughton innings. Crawford brought up his half-century and Stothard looked solid as they moved the total up to 148 before the latter was bowled by Scott Buttrick for a valuable 25. James Watson was next to the crease and along with Crawford they took the final total to 162 for 7 after 45 overs, Watson ending on seven not out and Crawford on an excellent 73 not out, having carried his bat. For Outcasts everyone of their bowlers bowled well, with Jonathan Wroot proving quite economical, going for just 23 from his nine, Matthew Teal 22 from seven and there was one wicket each for Alex Fletcher, dad Ian and Scott Buttrick but it was Graham Clark who took the main honours, taking 4 for 43 from his alloted nine overs.
Outcasts' reply to the Broughton target got off to a poor start when Darren Clark was bowled by Shaun Clark for five with the total on seven which brought Anthony Fitzgerald to the crease where he join Richard Wroot who batted superbly for the Priorymen. They put together a terrific partnership of 77 with Fitzgerald playing the anchor role but it was he who became the second wicket to fall when he was bowled for 12 by what can only be described as a woeful delivery from Dave Jones, the ball bouncing twice before squeezing through the batsman's defences to knock back his off stump. Graham Clark fared little better when he inexplicably directed a half-tracker from Brett Fish straight to Sam Benson at mid off having made just eight, leaving Outcasts on 99 for 3, but that man Wroot was in tremendous form and he eased to his half-century with another imperious shot for four. Russell Fletcher was in the middle with him by now and they took the total to 139 when Wroot had moved to within ten of what would have been a magnificent ton, only for him to edge a catch to Nick Crawford at slip off Rob Ward. It still appeared likely that Outcasts would ease to victory but to their credit Broughton fought hard and picked up a further three wickets to set the home pulses racing, Fletcher being caught by Shaun Clark off Jamie Watson for 16 who then trapped Matthew Teal LBW and with the scores tied Andy Colebrook was run out for four when failing to run his bat over the line in an attempt to see his team home. That honour went to Scott Buttrick who pushed a single through mid on to take his personal tally to 13 and Outcasts to a match-winning 163 for 7 but they were made to fight hard for their Semi Final berth by a very plucky Broughton team.
So the Priorymen will now travel to Messingham 2nds where they will hope Richard Wroot can continue his outstanding batting form. If that proves to be the case they might just make the final.