Willoughby vs Irthlingborough

Willoughby ventured to the picturesque setting of Boughton Hall CC to face Irthlingborough 3rds for their 1st league fixture of the season, a classical village cricket club featuring a road, resident Porsche parked at mid on, street lamps and gardens inside the boundary edge.

Captain Perry called tails and the queens head settled down on the freshly cut wicket, Willoughby were asked to bat. A chilly wind breezed over the hill past the horse stables were Willoughby had set-up camp whilst the opening partnership of 68 off 6 overs kept them entertained during the first opening salvos . Matt Cartridge departing for 51 off no more than 20 balls. Martin Nichols entered the battlezone negotiating 34 runs and departing. 18 overs down and Michael Deery joined Ian Andrews who was unlucky to have been judged caught behind for 52. 134 off 19 overs and the middle order coughed and spluttered whilst Deery carrying on from his final day heroics last season pushed past 50 and into the 70's with only 5 overs left to spare. In a tense final over Deery required 10 off the last over to seal a 2nds successive century obtaining that feat with a lusty blow over mid on for a 6. Deery finishing 103*. Willoughby CC finishing on 297 for 7.

After a cool tea the sun broke through the clouds briefly to warm the hands of the players as Rees Moor and Sean Thornton bowled a tandem spell of 10 overs, Moor 2 for 4 and Thornton 4 for 21 in the first 10 overs ripped through the top order of Irthlingborough. Thornton picking up a well deserved hat-trick in the process. Moor at the other end dismissing an all to familiar face. Dave Alcock 1 for 16 and Fergus Deery 2 for 15 finished off the innings within 18 overs to bowl out the opposition for 55.