There’s a lot to catch up on for Shildon’s cricketers this week with our regular reporter having finally recovered from the previous week’s cup celebrations.
On Sunday 24th August, the Railwaymen travelled to Marton for the final of the Hundred against Stockton and came away with the silverware.
The game was an exciting affair from start to finish, with the lads starting with the ball.
Early success came through Rowley (1-27) and McKendry (2-23) before Dinger (2-26) and Forster (2-19) did the rest of the damage as Stockton posted a very good total of 135-7 off their hundred balls.
In reply, Forster set the pace with the bat, coming extremely close to a deserved half century, smashing a very quick 49 off 25, with some assistance from Dinger (24 off 34) and McKendry (29* off 22) before Telford came in towards the end of the innings to score a quick 12 from 8, chasing down the total with just two balls to spare.
It was a fantastic performance all round from the Railwaymen, who were deserved winners after coming agonisingly close last year.
The bank holiday, after a night of celebrations, saw the 1st team travel to Saltburn looking to complete a clean sweep of the weekend, the firsts and seconds having both also won their matches on the Saturday.
The 1sts had swept Whitby aside at the BR having bowled them out for 89 and knocking off the total in 14 overs for maximum points, while the 2nds travelled to fellow strugglers Cockerton and returned with maximum points after a career best knock of 56 not out from 60 balls by Clegg to chase down the home side’s 136 total.
And so on the bank holiday, Shildon batted first with handy contributions from McKendry (53), Dinger (42), Telford (37) and Knowles (20) getting Shildon up to 239 from their 50 overs.
At 106-7 in reply, with opening bowlers McKendry and Forster taking 4 and 3 wickets respectively, the game looked in the bag, only for the Saltburn lower order to defiantly repel the Shildon bowlers to hold on for a draw.
Shildon took 15 points and moved back up to 4th in the league after weeks of struggling for wins on a weekend.
The following weekend the 1st team were able to continue their recent form, travelling to 3rd place Darlington looking to move above them in the table.
After losing the toss, Shildon were asked to bowl with McKendry ripping through the top order to take four wickets on a green pitch. The other wickets were shared between Forster, Nevison and Rowley.
Chasing only 118, Shildon knocked the total off in 12 overs, with Upton making 64 before McKendry (27) and Dinger (28) finished the job to win by 9 wickets.
On the same day the 2nd team struggled against a strong Raby Castle team.
The visitors posted an impressive 248 for 4 from their 40 overs.
Shildon were never able to get going in reply with only Young (28) scoring over 20 abd the side bowed out for 97.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
