CLEETHORPES STILL 100 PER CENT PERFORMERS

PICTURE AND REPORT BY GRAHAM HACKNEY

Charlie Tomlinson hitting the winning boundary.

Cleethorpes cricket club first X1 kept up their 100% record in the ECB Yorkshire Premier league with a fine six-wicket victory over Castleford at Chichester Road on Saturday. Another brilliant bowling display saw them bowl a strong batting Castleford batting line-up out for just 143 in 50.3 overs. After winning the toss, James Osmond again opted to bowl first as he has done in all three games this season. Again the tactic paid off as right from the off opening pair Andy Ellis and Jack Harrison tore into the Castleford top order. Andy Ellis made the first breakthrough in only the 5th over as Clark, attempting to break the shackles got a top edge with Rory Osmond taking the catch at midwicket, narrowly avoiding a collision with Harry Clewett. Hopkinson soon followed in the ninth over as Harrison, bowling with real control, found the edge through to Windeatt behind to leave Castleford 9-2. He soon had Le Roux heading back to the pavilion as well as he comprehensively beat him for pace to cap a fine spell of 2/9 in seven blistering overs. When opener Sacks (11) departed to a lightning legside stumping from Windeatt off the bowling of Ellis, the innings looked like capitulating at 35-4. The only blemish for Cleethorpes had been two catches put down at slip by the normally reliable Bill Kirby and a missed run out opportunity. Instead Sharp and Pickering regrouped to add 31 for the 5th wicket. Pickering was looking dangerous as he stroked seven fine boundaries making 38 before Harry Clewett claimed two wickets in his opening two overs to remove both batsmen. Coming on to replace the ineffective Alex Osmond, Clewett induced rash shots that saw Rory Osmond take his second catch of the day at cover to remove Sharp while Pickering heaved surprisingly across the line trying to slog sweep and was caught plum in front. Castleford Skipper Andy Bourke (34) came in at seven and added 47 with Young as they once again had to rebuild. A total of 180+ looked likely before Clewett once again struck with Bourke departing to a top edge. Clewett taking the return catch. Nathan Judah had kept things tight and was rewarded with the wicket of Young (13) who had trapped in front. Randerson and Hodson stuck around for ten over before the reintroduction of Ellis mopped up the innings in successive balls, claiming Randerson to a fine diving catch at mid on and trapping Pitcher first ball. A total of 143 looked well short despite the sideways ball movement.
Bill Kirby and Rory Osmond got Cleethorpes’ reply underway but they lost Kirby (4) lbw in only the fourth over as Hodson and Young made use of the new ball. Yaniv Judah had two narrow escapes with the umpire turning down loud appeals after being hit on the pads. Rory Osmond (4) though edged to Bourke at slip in the seventh over to leave Cleethorpes under pressure which increased when James Osmond fell to a poor leg before decision with the ball appearing to hit his thigh pad. They were now in trouble at 34-3 but a steadying innings from Alex Osmond saw off the threat of Castleford’s openers. With Judah beginning to blossom the pair had taken the score to 60 when Judah slashed to point to depart for 38. Charlie Tomlinson joined Osmond and showed his intent immediately by hoisting Bourke over cover for a boundary. Slowly but surely they grew in confidence as Tomlinson continued to take to the Castleford attack. The pair brought up their fifty partnership in only 78 balls in the 37th over. By the time Tomlinson passed fifty in just 50 balls, the winning target was in sight. Osmond was adding fine support as he finished unbeaten on 35 in 93 balls having hit three boundaries, but it was appropriate that Tomlinson hit the winning boundary at the end of the 43rd over as Cleethorpes ran out comfortable winners in the end. Tomlinson finished on 56 not out (57 balls) and had hit eight boundaries. He and Osmond had added 86 for the unbroken fifth wicket.