Pikes lack punch (From Gazette & Herald)

Pikes lack punch

aYork and District Senior League. Pickering lost their first match at Mill Lane this season to bottom-of-the-table Clifton Alliance in the premier division.

Put in to bat, the Pikes made steady progress. Without Paul Witty, Craig Aconley and Rob Aconley, the batting was always going to be below strength and so it proved. However, the ever-reliable Mark Shepherd and skipper Col Frank came to the home side's aid. Shepherd hit a masterly 68 and Frank hit 30, as they figured in a 56-run second-wicket partnership.

Rich Musgrave was Clifton's best bowler. Coming on as fourth change, he took 3 for 17 in eight overs. Sean Stuchbery (24 not out) did well for Pickering towards the end, as they finished on 170 for 9.

It was Musgrave who provided the backbone to the Clifton innings with a well-made 70. West Indian Lorenco Ingram gave good support with 34 and there was a patient, but valuable, knock from Rich Taylor, who made 27no in 89 balls.

Tony Evans took 1 for 50 in 15 overs. Matthew Kings took 1 for 39 in ten overs and Charlie Marwood also chipped in with a wicket for 11. Alliance knocked the required runs off with seven wickets to spare.

Pikes will hope to get back on track on Saturday when they visit York.

There was better news in division one where Duncombe Park won a thriller at Pocklington when their last man hit his first ball for the two runs required for victory.

Neil Jackson led from the front for Pocklington with 58, as Adam Raynor's 5 for 47 held them to 176 for 9. Mark Wilkie hit a decisive 86, but Richard Foster troubled the Park men with 4 for 43. However, Brian Leckenby (31) and Peter Kent (26) set up a favourable conclusion.

Malton and Old Malton had the better of a draw at home to Hull Zingari in the same division. They had to wait until 4.20pm to get their match underway due to the wet conditions.

With the game reduced to 30 overs, opening pair Neil Johnson and Darren Wyrill soon got into their stride as Hull struggled to make use of the helpful conditions. Wyrill nudged the ball around, while Johnson made some big hits, rattling up three sixes in his 74. Once Johnson was out, Wyrill upped the tempo to finish on 70 not out as Malton finished on 164 for 1.

Hull started brightly in reply, with their Aussie player looking in good touch. He was

out to a piece of brilliance though as fellow Aussie Ryan Bulger dived to his right to hold a stunning catch off Jon Tildsley. Malton spinner Mark Yates soon trapped Hull's other

opener lbw. Hull got stuck in a rut as Malton's excellent fielding made runs hard to come by. Bulger claimed 3 for 27 as Hull's reply

petered out to leave them well adrift at 83 for 5.

In division three, Andrew Grayson recorded the best bowling figures of the day when he followed his 42 in Pickering II's 115 for 7 with 8 for 26 in 17 overs to wipe out Clifton Alliance for 81. Jim Feaster lent a hand with the bat, when he chipped in with 30 in support of Grayson.

Heworth's batsmen made poor headway against Malton and Old Malton II, for whom Steve Oldfield took 4 for 9 in 15 overs. He sent down ten maidens as Heworth were only able to reach 78. Andy Raines then hit 46 as Malton ran out six-wicket victors.

In division four, Pocklington II were dismissed for 24 when they visited Sheriff Hutton, whose bowlers Richard Armitage, with 6 for 9, and Simon Thornton (4 for 12) were in devastating form.

Pock opener Mark Croft made 14 before being sixth out at 21 as the last nine Pocklington wickets fell for a mere seven runs. Two wickets were lost in reaching the unchallenging total to give Pocklington the consolation prize of one bowling point.

Updated: 12:14 Wednesday, May 12, 2004