Club Friendly
 
Willoughby v Norton Lindsey & Wolverton
 
Willoughby                                         228 for 5
Norton Lindsey & Wolverton            192 all out
 
Willoughby won by 36 runs
 
 
Sunday’s friendly fixture saw an enjoyable and entertaining encounter with Willoughby eventually running down visitors Norton Lindsey by 36 runs.
 
The hosts lost the toss and were asked to bat first, and began well with opener Ashley Rayner typically orchestrating matters. After the departures of Ishbar Ali to a low diving catch and Matt Goss who both made starts, Gurj Rupal joined the fray. Having blown away the cobwebs from the night before and got into gear, Rupal built a useful partnership with Rayner before the latter selfishly retired on 89 not out to allow some of the upcoming youngsters in the middle order some time at the crease. Rupal went shortly after caught behind having made 72 but Alex Proudman and Ben Hollis took on the mantle in the last few overs with some clean hitting as Willoughby closed on 228 for 5.
 
Having analysed the Norton’s scorer’s laptop wizardry and ‘wagon wheel’ batting charts at tea, the visitor’s reply started on track despite being punctuated by Rupal’s three wickets for 58 from his 8-over spell. Proudman then came on at the other end and bowled well for his 3 for 48, this in tandem with Hollis who also performed with the ball taking 1 for 32. With the run rate increasing and overs running out, Norton’s skipper holed out to David Jakeman for the second of Ishbar’s three wickets of which the third three overs later ended the visitor’s chase on 192 all out; Willoughby winning by 36 runs.