Lee Weldon’s weekly round-up from the wicket…
Saturday 3rd July – NYSD Division 2
Newton Aycliffe 1st XI v Blackhall 1st XI – weather was mild but with frequent showers. Newton Aycliffe won the toss and chose to bowl first. Match Sponsored by Unison
Blackhall 1st XI 253 all out after 47.2 overs
James Layfield-Carroll 4 for 49, Michael Howe 4 for 60 and Sean Morgan 2 for 39
Newton Aycliffe 1st XI 140 for 6 after 27 overs
(Duckworth-Lewis revised target 160 from 27 overs)
Joe Haines 53 not out, Jack Slatcher 29 and Adam Gittins 20
Amid the showers and many breaks for rain throughout the game, Aycliffe’s first team eventually succumbed to top of the table Blackhall firsts by 20 runs.
The Aycliffe winning target was re-set by the Duckworth-Lewis equation to 160 from 27 overs and opener Joe Haines (sponsored by Eileen Quinn, pictured above) lead the run chase superbly, carrying his bat for an excellent unbeaten 53 from 74 balls and included seven boundaries.
Earlier in the game James Layfield-Carroll and Michael Howe bowled well for Aycliffe with four wickets apiece in the Blackhall innings.
Despite this defeat, Aycliffe remain in 8th place in the NYSD 2nd division table with 138 points from 12 games played.
Saturday 3rd July – NYSD Division 4
Billingham Synthonia 2nd XI v Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI – weather was mild but with frequent showers. Billingham Synthonia won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI 121 all out after 38.2 overs
Matty French 21, Ryan Patrick 17 and Dylan Tribley 16
Billingham Synthonia 2nd XI 122 for 8 after 25.4 overs
Will Dearden 3 for 17, Matty Greaves 1 for 20 and Joe Teasdale 1 for 21
The young 2nd team battled hard in their game away at Billingham Synthonia 2nds and were really unlucky to finish with a narrow two wicket defeat.
Defending only 121 was always going to be difficult for Aycliffe, but they gave their more experienced opponents a genuine scare, especially after 12-year-old Will Dearden, took 3 for 17 late in the innings to help leave the homeside teetering on 103 for 8. However, Billingham rallied and managed to crawl over the line and reach their winning target in a tense finale.
The seven points Aycliffe gained from this draw takes their total to 119 from 13 games played and they consolidate their 8th place position in the NYSD 4th division table.
This week’s senior cricket fixtures:
Saturday 10th July at 1.00pm – NYSD Division 2 – Norton 1st XI v Newton Aycliffe 1st XI
Saturday 10th July at 1.30pm – NYSD Division 4 – Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI v Stockton 2nd XI