4 Games 4 Wins

The eagerly awaited top of the table clash was a mouth watering prospect with both Adwalton and Oulton not disappointing the crowds watching from the pavilion.

With a minor league One football game taking place, both teams were missing key players and after a wet week, a potentially decisive toss fell Oultons way and with any hesitation, Neil Laycocks men were asked to bat.

Openers Donohue and Bennett fell cheaply to Preshaw and at 6 for 2, Bagnell and the young Ben Garner came to the crease and produced a performance of sheer cricketing delight, frustrating the Oulton players and skipper, who couldn’t set a field to cope with the perfectly timed shots of the Adwalton pair.

Garner having reached his half centaury in his first outing of the season fell just after the drinks break, with Bagnell pressing on to reach another Adwalton century before being caught out by an exceptional diving catch from Preshaw off the bowling of Harrison. With 9 overs to be bowled Hotchen arrived with a mantra to teach everybody watching what big hitting was all about. In an innings which included over 7 sixes and not a lot of singles, Adwalton posted an impressive 291 for 4, Hotchen 68 Priestley 37 both not out.

Oultons run chase started slowly and the first wicket fell with the pressure getting too much for Lockwood who attempted an impossible single to the keeper priestley who pinged the stumps and sent Lockwood back to the dressing room, head in hands.

With Bagnell bowling well, but unable to find the magic of the previous weeks, it was once again the laycock brothers who stepped up and tore through the Oulton batting line up. A mixed batting card showed Oultons potential to chase the score, with Elliot 39 and Houghton 53 batting well to gain a point for the owls. Steve Laycock finished with 4 for 65 and Neil 4 for 63 with Oulton finishing 63 runs short on 228.

With the extras column the second highest scorer (50), there was much room for improvement but the momentum of the season continues to Townville in a tricky fixture which last year caused much controversy and no doubt the scorers will be asked to keep a keen eye on the target score.