Bill Kirby on his way to a ton against Castleford.PICTURES AND REPORT FROM GRAHAM HACKNEY
Cleethorpes 1st X1 continued their fantastic start to the season with a measured six-wicket win at Castleford in the opening round of the Yorkshire league cup. In atrocious conditions Castleford opted to bat first when play finally got under in a match that was reduced to 35 overs a side. Constant drizzle had delayed the start and sensible umpiring throughout enabled the match to reach a conclusion with Cleethorpes earning the right to travel to Appleby Frodingham on June 12th for a Quarter final tie. Castleford started their innings in positive mode with Skipper James Osmond and Jack Harrison opening the attack for Meggies. Castleford Overseas Clarke soon had the scoreboard ticking with boundaries off Harrison but the Cleethorpes bowler would soon make the first breakthrough as Le Roux slashed to Tomlinson at point with the score on 16. Clarke and Pickering would then add 60 for the second wicket as conditions deteriorated with the bowlers struggling to grip the ball. Osmond at least managed a tight opening spell conceding just 16 runs from his four overs. Limited to just seven overs apiece, the skipper chose to rotate his attack that included three spinners. It was Harry Clewett that broke the stand with Harrison taking a great running catch at deep square leg. Pickering then went into overdrive as he took to the Cleethorpes attack. With short boundaries straight at both ends he launched three massive sixes to go with his nine boundaries to smash 88 in just 70 balls. He had one lucky escape when Alex Osmond took a leaping one-handed catch at long on but unfortunately landed over the boundary line. Stauart Harvey removed Hopkinson (4) to a leading edge off his first delivery but another stand of 65 for the fourth wicket looked like taking the game away from Cleethorpes. Finally Pickering holed out to Kirby off the bowling of Alex Osmond and Cleethorpes looked like keeping the score below 200 before a late flourish from Wragg (27 not out) took the final total to a challenging 218-7. All Cleethorpes bowlers came in for some hammer with James Osmond the most successful with 2/39 in his seven although Yaniv Judah bowled a useful containing spell at the death to record 1/26 in five overs.
Clearly Cleethorpes had to get off to a bright start and this they did with recalled Eddie Carlton (20) and Kirby adding 50 in under seven overs with some smart running as well as dispatching anything loose to the boundary. Carlton had hit four boundaries when he chased a wide delivery from Le Roux and Clarke took the catch at cover. Yaniv Judah (3) soon followed as he was undone by a slower delivery to leave Cleethorpes 57-2. Castleford were now making the most of better bowling conditions as the run rate dipped under the required target. James Osmond added 18 before falling to a stunning one handed catch at cover of a full blooded drive from Hopkinson. Kirby though was looking untroubled and passed his fifty in just 43 balls in the 18th over. After his century against Doncaster the day before and was looking in tremendous touch. Alex Osmond came in and the pair soon kick started the innings as Castleford’s young change bowlers struggled to contain. With the field starting to spread they were able to milk the singles as well as take the boundaries as any pressure soon evaporated. After passing the 50 partnership in 38 balls the pair raced to a hundred stand in 88 as Castleford wilted. Osmond reached his half century in 40 balls in the 30th over with the 200 coming up the over later. Kirby completed his second century of a great weekend with a massive straight six to take them within touching distance of victory. His ton had taken 95 balls and included 8 fours and 3 sixes. With just two required though he departed for 106 attempting to finish the game and skied to Le Roux at long off. Osmond dually completed the win three balls later to remain 57 not out (48 balls). Kirby and Osmond had added 137 for the fourth wicket as Cleethorpes raced home with eleven balls to spare.
A boundary from Alex Osmond.
Bill is congratulted on reaching his century.
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