TITLE WITHIN THEIR SIGHTS

By Glen Sands

Yesterday's table-topping clash between Misterton 2nds and Luddington had the potential of being a cracking match but it proved to be anything but as leaders Misterton cruised to an easy win against a Luddington side that were decidedly second best throughout.
Having won the toss Gareth Parkin chose to bat first but right from the start the Clark brothers were put under pressure from home skipper Darren Emmingham and Richard Taylor and it was the latter who picked up the first wicket when Graham Clark played on for just a single. Oliver Saxon played one sumptuous drive before he was bowled by Taylor and moments later it was 19 for 3 when Darren Clark edged Taylor to wicket keeper Dave Manning having scored nine. Andy Lawson clipped the ball to the boundary to get off the mark only to then be bowled by Emmingham by a beauty and Geoff Smith became the fifth man out when he was sensationally caught one handed at slip by Tom Denman to give Taylor his fourth wicket of the innings.Syeve Proctor was caught by Manning without troubling the scorers which left Ludd floundering on 26 for 6 and that soon became seven when skipper Parkin was adjudged LBW to Taylor. Arron Curry managed a couple runs before he was the seventh Luddington player to get out to the rampant Taylor but there was then a long partnership from Danny Taylor and Martin Fletcher who finally showed some spirit taking the total steadily up to 56 before the former snicked a catch to Manning off Dave Lawson for a top score of 12. The same bowler brought the innings to a close when he deceived Fletcher with a slower ball when he has made nine which meant Misterton needed to score 58 to earn a victory that was likely to st them up to become Third Division Champions. Richard Taylor was undoubtedly the pick of the bowlers taking 7 for 12 from nine overs.
With such a low score Luddington needed to make early inroads into the Misterton top order but that was not to be as that man Taylor and Mark Boscolo put on 28 for the first wicket , then Taylor edged a catch to Steve Proctor off Graham Clark having scored 14. George Taylor joined Boscolo at the crease and they comfortably took Misterton to 58 for 1 with no further problems , both batsmen finishing the game on 21 not out.
So the Nottinghamshire side are now within sight of clinching the title whilst Luddington will have to lick their wounds and hope for a big improvement when they take on Bottesford on August 7th if they are to make it into second spot come the end of the season.