Scarborough Beckett League Division D

Duncombe Park 2nd Xl (241 for 6) drew with Oriel (55 for 1) - rain stopped play

On a drizzly Saturday afternoon, Duncombe Park 2nds visited Oriel and were put into bat on a very lively track.

Openers Chapman and Metcalfe made a steady start, and when they were both out this brought senior batsman Stu Richardson and 14-year-old David Gardner to the wicket.

Richardson made 21 before he was out and one more Park wicket fell before Gardner was joined at the crease by 15-year-old Matthew Harding.

Both players have come through the junior coaching scheme at Duncombe Park - indeed Gardner is the junior club captain this season and both attend the Yorkshire Cricket Board winter nets at York - and they set about the Oriel bowling with an experience that belied their years.

Playing shots to all parts of the ground, they were particularly ruthless with the loose ball and never gave any chances to the bemused Oriel fielders until late in their innings.

Harding was run out off the final ball, having reached 62 which included nine fours and one six.

Gardner meanwhile was out with two overs to go for 103, his second 50 coming from 28 balls.

His total innings included 14 fours and two sixes and will be long remembered by everyone who was present.

Unfortunately, the game was washed out after Duncombe Park had bowled 15 overs, as the heavens opened.

Oriel were poised on 55 for 1, which would have made for an interesting finish to the game, especially as a certain D Gardner was due to bowl the next over.

Duncombe Park U15s (101 for 3) beat Pickering U15s (83 for 1) by 18 runs

On an overcast Friday evening, Duncombe Park - who had only lost one of their league games - took on a strong Pickering side with a similar record.

Batting first, the Park openers got off to a solid start with Ben Chapman playing two excellent cover drives for four.

When the two openers had been removed, captain Dave Gardner and fellow opening bowler Mark Haines arrived at the crease to entertain the many parents and interested spectators.

Gardner looked in tremendous form and took just 13 balls to complete his 25, including one nonchalant clip off his legs for six.

Haines was not much less brutal, retiring on 28 from 26 balls, including four fours.

The Park only lost one more wicket and finished on 101 for 3 from their 18 overs.

Pickering opened their innings with Yorkshire schoolboy Thomas Pateman and Gareth Pritchard, who rattled up 19 runs from the first two overs.

Gardner and Haines then suddenly found their line and restricted the batsmen to 14 runs from the next six overs, which included Mark Haines clean bowling Pateman.

They were then ably supported by the ever-accurate Mark Hayton - who bowled five overs for 18 runs - and Pickering never looked like catching the Park total.

The Park captain was confident enough to let two of the younger members bowl out the last three overs and Pete Rooke and Dan 'Smudge' Smith acquitted themselves well as the Park ran out winners by 18 runs.

Updated: 11:12 Thursday, June 14, 2001