Lilley 204 all out, 35.4 overs (Najeeb 62*, Tompkins 57) beat Tewin 153 all out, 43.1 overs (Kruger 3-10) by 51 runs
Lilley finally got their Broadview Windows North Herts League campaign underway at a sunny Geoff Banks-Smith Memorial Cricket Ground this afternoon with a thumping win over Tewin.
Lilley skipper Paddington won the toss and elected to bat, deploying a new opening pair in Mark Scanlan and the returning Gareth Tompkins. It became apparent early on that the wicket would be a slow, stodgy affair. Scanlan, Khurrum Khan, Dan McLaughlin and James Ashby came and went without significantly troubling scorer Jason Pateman’s pen, but Tompkins looked in fine fettle and he and Najeeb both made their way to half centuries.
Jason Kruger provided some fireworks and Taz Qureshi again showed a more mature batting style as he made 16 before being bowled. Jimmy Rainey managed 10 before he injured his ankle and was bowled, a tweak that would eventually force him off the field later on. Lilley managed to post 204 all out, although frustratingly didn’t use all their overs in doing so.
Khan (2-12) and Kruger provided the new ball partnership for Lilley and soon had Tewin in knots. Kruger made the early breakthrough before Khan produced two snorters to castle Sheppard and Patterson. McLaughlin was also soon in on the act, bowling the number three bat. Najeeb picked up a wicket and probably deserved more and soon after Ashby bowled Hill.
Just as the game seemed to petering out into an inevitable Lilley win, a truly magical catch had all at the ground in raptures. Ashby trundled in and batsman Pugh clipped the ball off his legs. Stew Collinson, fielding at a short mid wicket position, threw himself to his right and with one hand plucked the ball inches from the turf as it past him, a simply sensational catch and one of the best seen at Lilley for many a moon.
Kruger returned to mop up the tail and finish with 3 for 10, as Tewin eventually succumbed for 153, Lilley winning by 51 runs.
Super day!
