York CC Vs Sheriff Hutton Bridge CC – T20 Match Report

York took the first step towards semi-final qualification in the Yorkshire League North T20 a controlled innings from Duncan Snell who made 45 form 43 balls guiding them to a four wicket Group B win over Sheriff Hutton Bridge at Clifton Park. Three wickets each from Clark Doughney and Guy Darwin were also key factors in restricting the visitors to a total of 145 after they had made a strong start.

The visitors opening pair of Arthur Campion and Freddie Collins got the innings off to a brisk start, despite a quarter of an hour interruption for rain, sharing ten fours in the opening five overs and it was right at the end of that period that Doughney took the first of his wickets. Collins had dispatched three of the spinners first five deliveries to the boundary but over-balanced attempting a repeat and was stumped by Alex Liley. Tommy Hudson continued the good work Collins had begun and the scoring rate and the total passed 100 at the start of the thirteenth over. A second wicket partnership worth 55 from 48 balls was ended when Campion, who had scored 42, miscued a ball from Guy Darwin high off the leading edge and the bowler took a comfortable catch. Hudson fell in similar fashion this time Liley pouching the catch the batsman having scored 38 from only 30 balls. Matthew Roberts, making his premier league t20 debut, bowled with great control the spinner sending down 3.5 overs of spin at a cost of just 16 runs through to the close of the innings, conceding just one boundary. Visiting captain Mark Fisher was fourth out for just three Harry Adair taking a well-judged catch at long-on to give Darwin his third wicket with the score on 115, but it was the loss of three quick wickets that really put the brake on the scoring just as ‘Bridge should have been looking to accelerate through the closing overs. Roberts fellow spinner Doughney operating from the Shipton Road end picked up two wickets in the space of three balls including Tatenda Shuttleworth-Richardson for 13. Dave Henstock provided some late fireworks striking Doughney for the consecutive boundaries one of which was a maximum but he was then stumped off Roberts at the start of a final over which included two run out and saw the visitors bowled out for 145 with a ball to spare.

Freddie Collins should have had a wicket in the opening over of the hosts’ reply but the straight-forward catching chance offered by Harry Adair was put down, and although it would prove ultimately to be too costly it allowed York to get off to a flying start with 36 on the board before the third over had been completed. Charlie Elliot’s was the first wicket to fall, having taken two boundaries off the luckless Collins but an attempted third saw a leading-edge carry to Mark Fisher at mid-wicket. That was the first of three wickets to fall in as many overs Adair failed to control a cut stroke that climbed on him and Finlay Bean went after a wide ball, both shots resulting in catches for ‘keeper Nicholas Gill and after a bright start the home side found themselves 39 for three an needing to consolidate. Guy Darwin has discovered some good early season form with the bat and joined skipper Duncan Snell at the crease, their partnership of 39 from 28 balls bring the required rate down below a run-a-ball for the first time, the inclusion of eight wides in the opening ten overs also assisting the hosts cause. Darwin contributed 12 to the partnership before being caught at mid-off and when Matthew Roberts was caught by a diving Andy Frank at extra cover York had once again slipped behind the rate with 54 more required off 44 balls. What should have been the bonus of a free hit from a David Henstock no-ball back-fired when Alex Liley having failed to beat Mark Fisher with a drive was unable to re-make his ground and was run out. With the total on 116 for six and more than six an over required the home sides chances looked dependant on their captain remaining at the crease although in the closing stages he was outscored by Oliver Leedham. The critical over turned out to be the penultimate one off the innings bowled by Mark Fisher it began with 14 runs still required for victory but a lofted blow into the legside and an outside edge which ran away for four both from the bat of Leedham combined with some quick running reduced the target to two off the final six balls. The match concluded in somewhat bland circumstances, given it had been for the most part an absorbing contest, Matthew Bird sent down the sides fifteenth wide to bring the scores level and an eleventh leg-bye signalled an end to proceedings, a total of 28 extras the third highest contribution to the total.