Despite a very poor weather forecast, cricket went ahead at SecuriCorp Park on Saturday, where Shildon Railway hosted Saltburn in the North Yorks & South Durham Premier Cricket League Division 2 clash, reports John Brennan.
On winning the toss, the Railwaymen chose to field and they were quickly on top, reducing the visitors to 62 for 7. However, stubborn resistance from late order batsmen saw 43 and then 39 runs added for the 8th and 9th wickets respectively and the innings finally closed in the 47th over, with Saltburn all out for 146.
Shildon must be disappointed that they failed to finish off the opposition when they had them at their mercy. The successful Shildon bowlers were Ryan Nangle (4 for 48), Shane Rowley (3 for 46), Steve Forster (2 for 4) and Joe Knowles, who bowled a very tidy spell of 10 overs, taking 1 wicket and conceding a miserly 19 runs.
In reply, Shildon were given a revised target of 141 from 46 overs and with the weather always threatening, the Railwaymen had obviously decided not to hang about but to bat positively and go for the win. However, losing Greg Upton, Jacob Dinger and Steve Forster by the 7th over with the score on 48, then Loyd Horner shortly afterwards, meant someone needed to step up in style if victory was to be achieved with this high- risk strategy.
Bret Upton’s quick fire 45 looked to have done the trick, but when he fell with the score on 104, Shildon still had a lot to do and at 117 for 8, victory looked unlikely. In a very tense finish Shane Rowley (22 not out) and Joe Knowles (4 not out), took the home side to 143 in the 34th over, keeping the Railwaymen in 5th position in the division.
Meanwhile, the 2nd team travelled to Etherley, sitting atop the S.G. Petch Darlington & District Cricket League Division C, but a narrow defeat, by 8 runs, saw the side slip down to second place. Etherley won the toss, and batting first were all out for 127 in 35 overs, with Tyler Claydon (3 for 12) and Matty Franklin (3 for 25) doing the damage. Despite Ash Raine opening with 27 and Tyler Claydon adding 46 at number 4, the Railwaymen fell short, being all out for 119 in 32 overs.
A wedding, holidays and injuries put pressure on team selection this week, and it is hoped that the situation will improve next Saturday which sees the 1st XI at Marton whilst the 2nd team are at home to King James. As we go to press, the 1st team are at Newton Aycliffe in the 100 Cup.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
