Shipston storm to home Henley win
Saturday, 22 May 2010
Shipston 225-7, Henley 213 all out.
SHIPSTON notched up a 12-run victory over Henley-in-Arden in this Cotswold Hills League first division fixture.
Asked to bat first, the home side made good use of an excellent pitch reaching a par score of 225-7, led by Jack Murphy with a hard-hitting 80 that included four sixes and six fours.
He was ably supported with a gritty 36 from opener Neil Harper and middle order contributions from Roger Wickson (20), Phil Hall (19) and an unbeaten 13 from Matthew Pratt.
John Perry bowled a lively opening spell for the visitors without reward. His father Ray picked up the wicket of Gary Betteridge (12) and Chris Key returned 1-26.
The pick of the bowlers was M Ross (2-37) who usually keeps wicket, however, his big-turning leg-spin proved troublesome to the Shipston batsmen as they tried to increase the run-rate in the latter stages.
Ross opened the innings with L Styler (20) and the pair advanced the score to 43 before the latter was smartly caught by Phil Hall off the bowling of Paul Cross.
Phil Hernden (8) chipped a catch to Wickson at deep mid-off to give Gary Betteridge his 100th first XI league wicket and two more scalps followed soon after to the off-spin of Neil Harper and one to the leg-spin of Richard Strong.
At 93-5 and 20 overs remaining Shipston looked well in control.
But an innings of 48 by Perry in just seven overs turned the game on its head.
Betteridge was delighted when Perry skied a catch to Julian Morris to give him his second wicket and get his side back in the match. Ross now needed to steer Henley to a win and looked capable of achieving this goal.
A 30-run partnership with Key (19) inched them ever closer and 37 needed off nine overs with three wickets remaining favoured the visitors.
Betteridge turned to Cross who kept it tight followed by Hall, who had Ray Perry caught behind by Murphy, but Ross remained firm.
The last throw of the dice saw Betteridge called upon new boy Strong and hoped that leg-spin might baffle the tail-end batsman.
With three overs left and just a dozen required it was finely balanced but Shipston needed to take the wickets to win. Strong endeared himself to his new team-mates in the space of two deliveries.
The first teased Budden to hoist a catch that was taken by Harper.
The second enticed Ross down the wicket and Murphy whipped off the bails with Ross out of his ground for a close to match-winning 88.
Strong finished with 3-28, Betteridge (3-61), Harper (2-31) and a wicket each for Cross and Hall.
By: Evesham Journal
