Shildon 1st XI fell to another defeat away at Norton CC 2nd XI, after the hosts comfortably chased down a target of 103 for the loss of only two wickets.
Norton won the toss and elected to field, and Shildon endured a difficult start. Loyd Horner and Aayush Lekhwani both fell without scoring, while Farhan Ali made a brisk 10 as Shildon slipped to 23-3. Joe Knowles (9) and Thomas Jacobs (15) attempted to rebuild before the visitors were reduced to 64-5. The standout contribution came from Adam Bayles, who battled his way to 27 from 45 balls, striking four boundaries and giving Shildon something to defend. Carl Crabtree added 10, while Andrew Clegg finished unbeaten on 8. With 18 extras also contributing, Shildon closed on 102-9 from 22.5 overs.
Defending a modest total, Shildon needed early wickets. Clegg provided the first breakthrough, bowling the Norton opener for six, before Farhan Ali removed the dangerous number 3. However, the other Norton opener anchored the chase with an unbeaten 39, as the hosts reached 104-2 from 20 overs, sealing victory by eight wickets.
A disappointing result for Shildon, with the loss of early wickets ultimately leaving too much for the lower order and bowlers to recover from. The final game of the season sees Shildon host Marton next weekend, this will be followed by the club’s presentation evening down the BR.
The 2nd XI suffered nearly an exact replica defeat against Raby Castle CC 2nd XI, with the visitors comfortably chasing 104 for victory. Raby won the toss and elected to field, with Shildon initially making a steady start through Nathan Lawson and Chris Atkinson. The pair took the score to 28 before Atkinson was dismissed for 8, while Lawson went on to make 17, including three boundaries. From 32-1, however, Shildon lost two wickets without adding to the score, with Vinnie McCormick falling for a duck before Lawson followed. Isaac Tonge made 7 and Kate Ibbertson added a useful 10 from 12 balls, but wickets continued to fall as Shildon struggled to build any substantial partnerships. Further down the order, Finley Abbott contributed 10, while Darren Waites provided some late impetus with 11. Captain Rob Marquiss finished unbeaten on 18, helping Shildon reach 103 all out from 36.1 overs.
With a relatively small total to defend, Shildon needed early wickets and Darren Waites gave them some hope, removing one opener for 15 before dismissing the number 3 without scoring. However, those proved to be Shildon’s only breakthroughs as Raby reached 104-2 in 19.5 overs to complete an eight wicket victory. Waites finished as the pick of the Shildon attack with 2-39 from seven overs, while Vinnie McCormick bowled economically, conceding just 13 from four overs including a maiden.
A tough afternoon for the 2nd XI, who finish their season away to East Cowton next week.