OUTCASTS GAIN REVENGE OVER SCUNTHORPE TOWN 2NDS IN LINCS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

BY GLEN SANDS

After losing to Scunthorpe Town 2nds a week earlier in a fairly pityful manner Outcasts gained some pride and revenge on August 17th with a thrilling 36 runs victory that so nearly was thwarted by the weather in a game kindly sponsored by G Empson & Sons Timber Merchants.Richard Wroot's side were invited to bat first by Scuny skipper Neil Patrick and it was Wroot himself who was first to go , caught by Reece Brown off Jake Smith for 14 with the total on 26 , then Scott Buttrick edged a catch to wicket keeper Andy Knapper off James Fussey having made just two and the hosts were struggling on 34 for 2. Charlie Mason's recent run of good form was brought to an end when he was third to go , caught by Harry Pope off Smith for six then opener Josh Bramhill was bowled by spin bowler Josh Pashley for ten and another abject performance appeared to be looming. However John Stokoe is beginning to settle into the club now and he continued where he left off the week before with a solid performance and along with Andy Lawson took the score past fifty when there was a rain delay of twenty minutes which freshened up the track. On their return to the middle the two old hands took the score to 80 before Lawson was bowled by Dean Gaffney ( no not that one ! ) , the big man having made 16 then Graham Clark joined the evr more confident Stokoe and Outcasts began to push the run rate along. Clark appeared to be in good form and made a terrific 19 before a rush of blood saw him swipe across the line to Ronny Sen , hearing the inevitable sound of the timbers going down as he trudged off desparingly to the pavilion. Stokoe was now in imperious form and he brought up a second half century as he and Mark Fletcher took control of the innings. Fletcher ,  drafted in for first team duties took his opportunity with a splendid knock which saw him farm the strike to his in form partner who took his own score to 71 before being caught in the deep buy Pope off the returning Jake Smith and the innings closed on 177 for 7 with Fletcher on 21 not out , a target that was always going to be competative against a young Scunthorpe side for whom Jake Smith was the pick of their bowlers taking 3 for 39.
With the overhead conditions always a threat it was to their credit that the visitors batted really well when they took the the middle and apart from the early loss of Dylan Hopkins , caught superbly in the gully by Andy lawson off Liam McAnaney they did'nt really look to be in any trouble. Skipper Patrick and that man Smith punished any loose deliveries and took Scunthorpe to 92 for 1 as the home side toiled but then came a turning point in the destiny of the match when Patrick attempted to sweep Scott Buttrick only to somehow deflect the ball around his body and onto his stumps having made 22 and from that moment on Outcasts smelt their chance to get back in it. Another rain delay did'nt heelp Scuny's cause after which the umpires deduced that the match had to revert to a timed game having lost so much time to the rain. It meant that Outcasts needed quick wickets if tjhey were to force a victory and they made quick in roads after the delay when Kane Brown was caught by Graham Clark off Buttrick for three then they picked up the big wicket of Smithwho was bowled by a yorker from Graham Clark for a well constructed 46. Suddenly at 98 for 4 and with Outcasts pressing for further wickets the visitors were under pressure and Buttrick in particular began to weave a spell over the batsmen. He had Ronny Sen caught by lawson for one thenhad Harry Pope caught by Graeme Fletcher with the overall total on 126 for 6. The clouds gathered ominously above but that man Buttrick was not to be denied and he then picked up Reece Brown , out for 21 to a catch by Tom Sharpe that defied gravity as he leapt like a salmon to pluck the ball from the air high above his head. That brilliant piece of fielding encouraged the Priorymen to attack all the more and Buttrick was on fire as he bowled James Fussey then had Josh Pashley well caught in the deep by Charlie Mason after the young number ten had struck a quickfire ten. Overs were running out though and Graham Clark was having no luck as he bowled two incredible overs that saw him go past Andy Knapper's outside edge virtually every ball but skipper Richard Wroot then brought strike bowler Graeme Fletcher back for the penultimate over and he came up trumps when having Knapper well caught at slip by batting hero John Stokoe and Outcasts had picked up a maximum 20 points that pushes them up to fourth spot and still well in the hunt for that second promotion place. Scott Buttrick was undoubtedly the star man finishing with 7 for 46 whilst Graham Clark and Liam McAnaney had no luck in their spells and Graeme Fletcher picked up his 25th wicket of the season to wrap up the win. 
Umpires David Simpson and Brian Creasey are to be congratulated for enabling the game to reach a conclusion despite the rain delays and all the players did well to continue in what were at times very trying conditions. Outcasts next match sees them welcome Owmby to Hirst Priory as they look to press on with their promotion push whilst Scunthorpe , who retained the Bob Welton Cup on August 11th , head over to Holton le Clay to get themselves back on track
Jason Whiteley's second eleven made the long trip to Washingborough with several changes from their regular line up and they were well beaten by the Lincoln team who scored 210 for 2 declared with 113 from Sam Housam and 70 from Mark Willey before the Isle side seccumbed to 62 all out , but the one consolation is that they appear to be safe from relegation as their season draws to a close.