Cricket Web Black v Cricket Web Blue
Played at Pickford Reserve
Centuries from Andrew Cloete and Dylan Jellett sent the Blacks firmly back to earth in their own Reserve, though it did not seem that way in the first innings when Callum Benjamin's four wickets pegged them back to 278. Blue bowled well enough defending that total, with two wickets from Clancroft stopping Smith & Jones, and another pair of wickets just before lunch took Black back to 128 for 4. Langley opened up after lunch by driving Currie for six over cover; shortly afterwards, an attempted encore was edged into the hands of Crampton at second slip, and Black were still trailing by 126. However, the half-century eighth-wicket stand between Warwick and Dave Richards, who contributed seriously with the bat for the first time this season, and even George Roberts helped as Blacks totalled 303. Richards, however, was robbed of his century when Fuller trapped Pickup lbw for a three-ball duck.
Wickets were shared out evenly when the Blacks bowled, but half-centuries from Wilshere and Jellett ensured that the Blues had the advantage by tea on day three. Warwick was taken for plenty of runs, and was smacked for six by Wilshere, but eventually got his revenge when Wilshere was caught for 87 - Warwick's first wicket of the innings. Jellett then brought up his second hundred of the season as the Blues powered towards a target of 400. Rain cut short the fourth day, however, inciting a declaration when Crampton had achieved his half-century, but the Blacks quickly came back with Fitzsimmons and Smith blazing 50 in less than 8 overs. However, an enthralling spell of bowling from Adam Collins yielded three wickets for 28, and Black closed the fourth day on 191 for 5, still 232 runs in arrears.
On the final day, Clancroft and Demeza made the morning session theirs by removing four wickets for 38, despite a multitude of dropped catches, and though Neil Pickup's gritty resistance lasted fourteen balls, he eventually gave a catch to Cloete at sixth slip as Collins, the hero of the innings, got his fourth wicket.
Cricket Web Blue 278 all out
Cricket Web Black 303 all out
Cricket Web Blue 448 for 6 declared
Cricket Web Black 247 all out
Cricket Web Blue won by 176 runs.
Man of the Match: Dylan Jellett