York CC Vs Sessay CC – Match Report

At Clifton Park, July 20. York won by 131 runs.

York 10pts, Sessay 0pts. Toss: York.

Tom Forsdike will have more reasons than most to remember his league debut, seven to be exact, marking his first appearance in the top flight with the competition’s season best figures of 7-28 as York put the disappointment of the previous weeks defeat firmly behind them with an emphatic victory over relegation threatened Sessay.  The off spinners previous first team experienced had been limited to a couple of cup games back in 2014, since then he plied his trade in the second XI but 15 wickets in the last three weeks was enough to earn a place in the line-up and to devastating effect, four of his victims were bowled and twice he picked up wickets with consecutive deliveries the beleaguered batsmen simply unable to cope with the turn and bounce he was able to generate, the visitors who have struggled for runs throughout the season failed again to reach 150 for the fourth time in their last six matches. After choosing to bat first skipper Duncan Snell and opening partner Jack Leaning were both back in the pavilion inside the first seven overs, the captain run out for the second innings in a row and last week’s centurion Leaning caught at the wicket chasing a wide ball from Liam Carver. After the first of two brief delays for rain James Billington and Chris Booth resumed the innings, the latter was dropped at slip on 8 with the score at 57 and it proved a costly mistake. Billington had shown signs of an upturn in form with 46 in two of his last three innings and shortly after the second weather interruption completed a half-century off 58 balls, Booth did likewise and together the pair added 160 for the third wicket, a club record in this league and third on the competitions all-time list. The score had moved on to 181 by the time Booth missed with an attempted reverse sweep, a shot which had proved profitable up until that point, and was given out lbw. York’s overseas signing surpassed his previous best of 88 at the start of a run of 14 consecutive singles which would eventually lead to his first century for the club, an innings of 108 balls containing eight fours and a six. An enterprising run a ball partnership of 40 with Ben Robinson came to an end when the Australian, on 112, played across the line and was bowled by Matthew Till the first of three wickets for the spinner in the closing six overs. Robinson backed up last week’s 41 with his maiden half-century at this level and remained unbeaten on 56 from only 44 balls when the innings closed with the total on 280-6. Openers Mark Wilkie and Matthew Till began the response in positive fashion 48 runs coming from the first 10 overs. Visiting skipper Wilkie under-edged Guy Darwin onto his stumps but at 73-1 and leading run scorer Mark Jackson just getting going the reply looked to be in decent shape, then just five balls into his opening over Forsdike had two wickets and the picture looked very different, a further three quickly followed and at one stage he had figures of five for nine, still with three overs in hand when picking up his seventh wicket, Jackson bowled aiming an expansive drive down the ground having reached 41, the prospect of taking nine did not seem too farfetched but then Leaning had Stuart Peirse caught at slip and doubled his tally when Liam Carver’s full blooded struck cannoned of Billington’s helmet fielding close in then lobbed into the bowler’s hands. Victory by 131 runs moves York above Dunnington into fourth place in the table but still 21 points adrift of the leaders.