OUTCASTS BOW OUT TO CHERRY

By Glen Sands

Outcasts might have been forgiven for thinking they could pull off a " giant killing " at tea when they had bowled Premier Division Cherry Willingham out for 130 in the George Marshall Cup but they fell like a pack of cards to a dismal 65 all out to bow out of the competition with barely a whimper.
The visitors were given first knock on what was a greener than usual pitch and quickly lost their first wicket when Lee Coupland was bowled by Tom Sharpe for four with the total on just nine then fellow opener Matt O'Halloran was caught by wicket keeper Richard Wroot again off Sharpe for 12 making it 30 for 2. Moments later Wroot was forced to hand the gloves to Oliver Coulman having picked up a finger injury and for a while the home fielding became a little disjointed as Cherry took their score to 54. Matt Carter was then bowled by the impressive Liam McAnaney having made a dozen and with the overall total on 70 danger man Will Carter was caught by returning skipper Mark Coulman off McAnaney again for 28 and the Priorymen were looking to be in control. John Singleton was next to go , bowled by Sharpe for nine and Matthew Teal then picked up a deserved wicket when Graham Clark took an exceptional spiralling catch to send Andrew Johnson back to the pavilion for five leaving Cherry on 116 for 6. Joe Dobson had the misfortune to drag his first delivery from Teal onto his stumps and a cunningly disguised slower ball did for Danny Langford as Teal took his wickets tally to three. Liam McAnaney's direct hit from distance saw Graham Priestley run out as Outcasts looked to wrap things up and they did just that when Graham Clark bowled Scott Coupland for 28 leaving the final total at 130 all out , Tom Sharpe and Matthew Teal each taking three wickets whilst Liam McAnaney took two and Graham Clark one.
With Wroot nursing his injured finger Outcasts opened with Oliver Coulman and Darren Clark but both went within an over of each other in what was a dreadful start for the Isle side , Coulman dragging on a Will Carter delivery for two and Clark edging to wicket keeper Scott Coupland off Joe Dobson without opening his account. Mark Coulman was next to go , adjudged LBW to Carter having made 10 then Andy Lawson was caught by Matt O'Halloran off Carter for a quickfire 15 which left his team floundering on 28 for 4 and in trouble. Things did'nt improve when Russell Fletcher was bowled by an absolute jaffa by the excellent Carter then Matthew Teal was caught at slip by that man Carter off a well disguised slower ball from the ever dependable Dobson for five. Graham Clark and Richard Wroot did offer some resistence with a partnership of eighteen but all hope was gone when Clark played around a straight one from Carter and was trapped LBW for 16. Three runs had been added when Wroot was comfortably caught by John Singleton off Andrew Johnson for six and it was Johnson who went on to pick up a second wicket by way of another LBW , this time Jason Whiteley being caught infront of the stumps. The final wicket fell at 65 when Liam McAnaney was caught behind to give Danny Langford a wicket which brought a sorry display to a close and left Outcasts to " concentrate on the league " for yet another year.
There is no doubting that Outcasts are unlikely to face bowling of the quality shown by Will Carter and Joe Dobson every week but it does give the Isle side an idea what they might expect if they were able to finish in the top two of the First Division this year. Next up is a home match against Grimsby Town 2nds whilst Cherry Willingham can look forward to a Quarter Final fixture next month away to Messingham or Hartsholme 2nds.
It was a much better story for Outcasts 2nds who gained an impressive nine wicket win at Barton Town 2nds in the Quarter Finals of the Bob Welton Cup , bowling Barton out for 98 with four wickets for in form Alex Fletcher then knocking off the target for the loss of just one wicket , Scott Buttrick continuing his good batting form for the second eleven.