Latest Stone Cricket Club reports

Stone SP 1sts had another disappointing day away at high-flying Rode Park as their promising start to the season starts to fade.

The home side won the toss and decided to bat but never really got going as they were restricted to 163 from only 48.3 overs. Their struggle was due to some excellent bowling from part-time off spinner James Sutton who picked up career best figures of 5-46 from 17 overs. Youngster Evan Bradford also shone with seven miserly overs of medium pace for nine runs, picking up two wickets in the process.

Despite having 61 overs to reach their target, Stone’s batsmen proceeded to gift wickets to the home attack with alarming regularity and were dismissed for 104 in just 24 overs. Only John Cheadle with 20 showed any semblance of form, though Sutton and Bradford did both reach double figures. For Rode Park, Ian Harding with six wickets and overseas start Jalat Khan with three did the damage.

Halfway through the season the SP side have let a promising start fade and are in danger of slipping further down the table unless the rot can be stopped.

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Ian Banks’s Stone 2nds had a double header with Checkley and emerged victorious on both occasions. Away in the League on Saturday, early strikes from Paul Minshall had the home side reeling before Dale and Cottier performed a rescue act. It was the introduction of the skipper himself that precipitated the home side’s collapse as his left arm spinners picked up 5-37 from 15 overs to restrict the home side to 177-9 from their allotted 50 overs.

In reply 19 year old Ben King with 45 and 16 year old James Pokora (37) combined in a significant opening stand that saw the visitors almost halfway home. There was a brief hiccup as three wickets fell rapidly but in strode Captain’s son Lewis Banks who finished the job off with a whirlwind unbeaten 60 as Stone romped home with 17 overs to spare.

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On the Sunday in the Talbot Shield, it was an altogether closer affair despite it being a long day for both sets of bowlers. This time Stone batted first and aided by some wayward Checkley bowling, including over 60 extras, amassed a huge 313 for 9 as Adam Pursell scored his first senior 100 for the Club to compile a classy unbeaten 133. He was assisted by banks again who blasted a quickfire 52. Checkley responded magnificently in the form of veteran campaigner John Pickles who blasted his way to 146 before tiredness took over and he ran out of steam with about 9 overs remaining. Pickles made full use of a short boundary and 4 chances dropped before becoming one of 4 victims for Harry Brundrett. The chase went on until Checkley needed 16 from the last over, eventually finishing 7 short with9 wickets down in what was very entertaining game of cricket.

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Stone SP 2nd XI v Woore 2nd XI

A run fest at sun drenched Swynnerton on Saturday saw exactly 500 runs scored and 17 wickets taken. Whilst the game ended up as a Winning draw in Woore’s favour, it was certainly was no bore draw. There was no shortage of entertainment as Woore end up with 13 points and a plucky SP2nd XI performance plundered 10pts of their own

Stand in skipper Lee McLaughlin won the toss and asked Woore to open up. In perfect batting conditions Woore had cruised their way to 77 with Aidan Cumberbatch (41) and Callum Westwick (38) inflicting the damage, before a mini collapse precipitate the arrival of Ben Johnson to the crease. Johnson caned 105 including 14 x 4s and 3 maximums but lead a somewhat charmed life as he was dropped more than once, including when he had yet to trouble the scorers. At 138-7 Stone SP looked in charge but an 8th wicket partnership of 87 runs with Imran Abdullah (32) saw Stone’s bowlers toiling in the sun. The fielding side were eventually rewarded with a full set of batters back in the hutch with the final ball of the 49th over. The twin spin attack of Sam King with 4-83 and Max Cuthbert with 3-57 causing most of the damage.

In reply Stone SP set off at a ferocious pace with Richard Chandler (36) and Sam Butters (25) clattering 64 for the first wicket in quick time. Everyone made a contribution with Gareth Jones top scoring with 46, and Corey Jones (26) and Kev Thomas (25) both added 20 plus scores. The Woore total was gradually eroded but as the game and clock moved on towards 8pm the victory total started to look out of reach, and the buccaneering approach of the home batsman was replaced with a change of emphasis to survival! Cuthbert and Mark Townsend (28no) saw Stone home to the losing draw as the clocked chimed 8pm, but with maximum batting and bowling points it could have been a whole heap worse.

Norton in Hales are up next for Stone SP2nd XI