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| Harry Smith of Horncastle bowling to Outcasts' skipper Richard Wroot. Action picture by NIGEL WEST. www.photoboxgallery.com/nigelwestphotography |
BY GLEN SANDS
Outcasts produced their best cricket in years on June 1st when they dethroned Division One League leaders Horncastle with a powerful display , especially with the bat as several players found form all on the same day.Horncastle won the toss and invited Outcasts to bat first but they were to rue that decision as from the off the Isle side batted with purpose and skill. Darren Clark and John Stokoe put on 36 for the first wicket before the latter was trapped LBW by Brodie Willerton having scored eight but thatbrought Andy Lawson to the crease who produced the most incredible of innings as he blasted the ball to all parts. Clark was happy to play a watching brief as Lawson hit seven sixes and four boundary fours from just twenty two deliveries and just eleven scoring shots !! Having raced to 58 he was harshly adjudged LBW off the bowling of Joe Smith otherwise who knows how many he might have made but with the total on 112 for 2 Outcasts were well set to make a tough target for their hosts. Russell Fletcher joined Clark , who by then was within reach of what would have been a deserved half century but he was caught at mid wicket off the bowling of Mike Devereux when three short , leaving the overall total on 124. Scott Buttrick was soon back in the pavilion LBW to the tricky Devereux without troubling the scorers and for a few overs it appeared all the good work might be undone especially when Fletcher became Devereux's third wicket via another LBW decision. That left Peter Tait and skipper Richard Wroot to put Outcasts back on track and they most certainly did , both of them playing some crisp shots as the visitors took control once again. Tait had hit a six and seven fours as he eased to 44 before chopping a delivery from Jones onto his stumps then Tom Sharpe joined his captain to take the score past 200. Wroot had reached 45 when he was caught in the deep by Jones of Willerton and Sharpe was bowled for thirteen by Harry Smith to become the eighth wicket to fall but Outcasts closed the innings on a huge total of 244 , Danny Taylor and Liam McAnaney both finishing on two not out. Devereux was the pick of the bowlers for Horncastle taking 3 for 39 but in general terms they were put to the sword by a rampant Outcasts side.
To have any hope of chasing down such a big target Horncastle needed to get off to a good start but vice captain Liam McAnaney produced two fantastic inswinging deliveries to bowl Bridie Willerton and Jim Watters with only eight on the board. Brothers Harry and Joe Smith added 33 before Joe was bowled by Graeme Fletcher who was bowling a terrific spell then Harry edged a catch to wicket keeper Richard Wroot off Fletcher having scored 22 and Horncastle were struggling at 50 for 4. They had added just one more to that total when Mick Devereux was caught by Tom Sharpe off that man Fletcher again for five and all hope was gone when Nick Paige hit a full toss to Darren Clark off the bowling of Tom Sharpe having made 21. Scott Buttrick got in on the act when he had Jones caught at slip by John Stokoe for just a single then Julian Loveley and debutant Dave Jordan put together a stand of 33 before Sharpe had the latter stumped by Wroot for 26 quickly followed by Dixon who was out to a splendid diving catch by Darren Clark , leaving the score on 120 for 9. Loveley hit a few good shots , taking the score to 152 with the aid of last man Harness but the innings was ended when Andy Lawson caught Loveley for 39 to earn Tom Sharpe his third wicket and Harness on eight not out.
So a commanding display from the Priorymen deservedly brought them a full 20 points haul , lifting them into third place in the table whilest at the same time dropping Horncastle off top spot at the expense of Broughton. The batting was in the very best of form with Lawson in particular producing one of the best show of power hitting anyone could ever see , then the bowlers and fielders backed that up with a near flawless performance which they will look to continue at Louth on June 8th. Horncastle travel to Appleby Frodingham hoping to make amends for this blip in what promises to be another big test.
Sadly for Outcasts 2nds they were not able to make it a win double when they were beaten by Washingborough at Hirst Priory , scoring 115 for 9 thanks to 30 from youngster Josh Bramhill and 17 not out from debutant Lee Gash who then picked up two wickets as they made the visitors fight hard to reach 117 for 5. They will be determined to pick up a win on June 8th when they entertain Caistor Town 3rds who like Outcasts have not had the best of starts to the 2013 campaign.
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