Willoughby VS Stony Stratford

The one day heat wave was behind us and we arrived at Campbell Park in good spirits even with the rain. Another loss of toss for Captain Ben Hollis which saw his side bowling first. We welcomed back Dan Farrow from university and soon got into the game after a hours delay. Mark Fell and Callum hanks got things going with a perfect start, Hanks removed both opening batsmen which included there inform batsmen George Wood with a fine catch from Scott Cluley. Fell had a strange bowling bowling spell to say the least, he managed to bowl 7 overs for 9 runs picking up 2 wickets along the way before bowling his 8th over and getting dispatched for 20 with some horrendous looking shots from there number 6. Stony were rattled sitting at 20-4, Miller 44 and RaviKumar 64 rode there luck both with numerous lives trying to up the run rate.
Stuart Bonthuys and Dan Farrow were brought into the attack before drinks to slow the runs down and try something different. Bonthuys found his line straight away and was to hot to handle for the Stony's batsmen, consistently playing and missing and also wearing a few. Chait Kurusala replaced Farrow after a short spell to break the partnership and that's exactly what he did and trapping another victim LBW 2-22 off 4. Farrow was back on replacing Kurusala and sent middle stump cart wheeling out the ground twice which was beautiful to watch 2-35 off 4.Bonthuys was finally rewarded also picking up 2 wickets for 35 off 9.4 which left Stony Stratford 157 all out which was a below par score we thought considering there previous home form.

Chait Kurusala and Callum Hanks opened the batting and began the chase, Hanks got off to a flyer scoring fours for fun picking the gaps and watching the ball race away to the boundary. Kurusala was struggling at the other end and couldn't get off the mark before being trapped LBW for 0. Ashley Rayner joined Hanks in the middle with the score 24-1 off 7, Hanks raced to 50 with some lovely cricket shots including two sixes off his legs over square leg towards the pavilion. Rayner and Hanks put together a brilliant 124 run partnership before Hanks was caught by a superb catch and he was out for 89. Rayner reached his half century and finished on 53* and Ambrose Deery hit a lovely 4 to win the game inside 32 overs.

We did really well getting a full game of cricket in and ever better coming off on the winners side. A great performance by all the bowlers each picking up 2 wickets and a two super fine knocks with the bat from Callum and Ash. With a win over Stony and Thrapston's game being abandoned we leap frog Thrapston and sit 5th in the league. Another big game next weekend as we welcome top of the league Desborough to the green.