MEGGIES FALL FURTHER BEHIND

Collegiate's Fisher is bowled by Alex Osmond.


Alex Osmond snaps up Collegiate opener Patmore at first slip.


By Graham Hackney

A disappointing batting display saw Cleethorpes fall 30 runs short of a gettable target in Saturday’s home defeat to a young Sheffield Collegiate side.
The defeat means Cleethorpes fall further behind league leaders York and second placed Rotherham who both had convincing wins. Sheffield had earlier won the toss and surprisingly opted to bat on a green wicket. With overseas professional Omesh Wijesiriwardana recalled to Sri Lanka for a domestic Twenty20 tournament and opening partner John Zielinski also unavailable, Cleethorpes had been forced into changes with Andy Ellis returning and opening the attack with Peter Thompson. Neither proved threatening as Sheffield openers Callis and Patmore comfortably negotiated the opening 13 overs to take Sheffield past fifty with little difficulty. Patmore was particularly punishing on Ellis as he despatched anything short and wide as Ellis’ six overs went for 25. Thompson proved tighter until a careless final two overs went for twelve runs as his line began to stray also conceding a number of byes with keeper Windeatt stood up to the stumps. Once again it took the introduction of spin pair Harry Clewett and Alex Osmond to make the breakthrough. It was Clewett who struck first inducing Patmore (48) to edge to Alex Osmond at first slip after the pair had added a solid 79 runs in the 25th over. Osmond followed suit the next over as he trapped the dangerous Root lbw. With Callis (28) edging Osmond to first slip for Kirby to complete a juggling catch and Wall (4) attempting a suicidal single to Indy Hayre, Sheffield had slipped to 104-4 in the 34th over. Turnbull had survived a sharp chance when edging Clewett behind but he soon began to play fluently taking on both spinners. He received good support from veteran Gaywood and the pair added 72 runs in under 14 overs before Hayre claimed a second run out to dismiss Gaywood for 30. With Sheffield pushing for late runs Osmond was to profit as both Street and Varley ran past spinning deliveries to provide Windeatt with easy stumpings. With Fisher bowled by Osmond with a delivery that kept low the spinner completed his third successive five wicket haul as Sheffield closed on 214-8 in their 55 overs. Osmond finished with 5/72 in a marathon 22-over spell with Clewett also bowling unchanged to record 1/63 in 19 overs.
Bill Kirby and Rory Osmond got Cleethorpes reply off to a slow start as pacemen Australian Fisher and Turnbull conceded just six runs in the opening four overs. Kirby had just struck the opening boundary when left hander Fisher found the batsman’s outside edge with a fine delivery that shaped away to leave Meggies 6-1. Carlton (13) joined Osmond and looked in confident mood as he took Fisher for three classic boundaries before being beaten all ends up as Fisher brought a delivery back through the gate. Alex Osmond joined cousin Rory and the pair added 29 for the third wicket. Alex too had started in good touch consistently finding the boundary although twice with a stroke of fortune as cleared the slip cordon. The introduction of Sheffield spinner Street would account for Rory Osmond as his second delivery found the edge to keeper Patmore for a solid 21. Alex Osmond (28) followed 14 runs later when Gaywood showed lightning reflexes to snare a one handed catch at slip. Cleethorpes had maintained the run rate at four an over but the inability of any of their batsman to push on after a start was proving telling. James Windeatt (11)briefly threatened after launching Street for a massive straight six but the spinner soon had his revenge trapping Windeatt on his back leg the next ball. Paul Sunley and Harry Clewett appeared to be Cleethorpes final hope and the pair looked untroubled in adding 28 to take Cleethorpes to 122-5 at drinks. Sunley, again looking composed had reached 23 with five boundaries but fell the over after drinks edging young spinner Pearson behind. Clewett (15) followed six runs later trying to clear mid off but only succeeding in offering another simple catch to Gaywood. When Thompson (5) and Hayre (18) fell with the score on 145 the game looked over for Cleethorpes. It took a fine 39-run ninth wicket stand between Fred Lumby and Skipper Andy Ellis to raise Cleethorpes hopes of at least taking two points from the game as the pair saw off fourteen overs with little difficulty. With the rate having climbed to over five an over Cleethorpes had little prospect of victory but just as it looked as if they would hold out for a share of the spoils Ellis (25) edged Fisher to second slip to complete a 30 run victory. Lumby remained unbeaten for a battling 14 as Cleethorpes closed on 184 to fall further behind in the chase to catch the league leaders.

Cleethorpes' Eddie Carlton hammers Fisher to the boundary.