Shildon Railway Cricket Club’s 1st team entertained local rivals Newton Aycliffe, at the Hackworth Road Ground, in the North Yorks. & South Durham Premier Cricket League Division 2 game, reports John Brennan. The Railwaymen won the toss and put the visitors into bat. Carl Crabtree opened the bowling and soon had the batsmen in trouble, as his opening spell of 7 overs yielded just 8 runs and included 5 maidens and 2 wickets, as Aycliffe were reduced to 38 for 3 with 19 overs gone. The Railwaymen turned the screw and were in a commanding position at 47 for 7 after 29 overs, when the rain, which had threatened all day, finally arrived.
Ben Ryan’s 9 overs included 7 maidens, yielding a miserly 5 runs for 3 wickets and Rob Nevison took 2 for 12 from 7 overs, of which 3 were maidens. All proved to be to no avail, as the game, disappointingly, had to be abandoned as a draw. Shildon remain in 3rd place, hot on the heels of the leaders, with a game in hand. However, the day ended well, as a large group of players enjoyed a delicious meal at The Red Chilli Restaurant, in Church Street, one of the team’s major sponsors this season.
The 2nd team’s game at Eryholme also fell to the weather, when the ground was declared unfit due to a waterlogged outfield but Shildon remain top of Division B of the Darlington District Cricket League. Unfortunately, the team has had to concede the Cec Leece Cup tie at Haughton. As Shildon play a rotation system, whereby 2nd team players take turns in filling in 1st team positions, when necessary, they have fallen foul of the rules. These state that players playing in the N.Y.S.D. League first teams may not play in this cup. As the tie has been put back, this means that seven or eight of the second team squad would be deemed ineligible for the game.
Next Saturday sees the 1st XI at Marton, whilst Barton are the visitors to Hackworth Road in the 2nd XI fixture.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
