Hopeless displays gifts Hopton win

After a week of random thunderstorms and bitty showers, the sun once again shined on the Central Yorkshire League for a Saturday afternoon of cricket as an away trip to Hopton Mills beckoned for Adwalton.

On a green, slightly damp pitch with perilous slope Adwalton won the toss and selected to field, in the hope that a low total would ensue and an unlikely win could be possible. Unfortunately the batsman dealt with the pitch better than expected, and captain Ijaz Ashraf and David Greenwood put on a fine first wicket partnership, that was simply built on by Ashraf and Mohammed Abrar after the dismissal of Greenwood who was bowled by Elliott Jennings. It was an odd dismissal that removed Abrar as wicketkeeper Mark Palfreeman saw the batsman wander out of his crease and took the opportunity to stump him. Clive Guest came and went, but effective cameos from Matthew Dyson and power hitter Ahmir Ali supported Ashraf before he was bowled by Ben Allinson. Despite again missing catching opportunities, Dyson was finally bowled and Ali caught by Jonathan Banks with a loose shot to square leg. Matthew Lyles made light work of the tail in his second spell as the umpire was the only obstacle stopping all ten wickets being taken, but for a total of 233.

The theory that the pitch was to improve in the second innings was sorely misguided as the Adwalton batsman failed to provide any sort of resistance with only one player scoring double figures. Opening bowler Mark Hall picked up 5 for 27 in an effective spell using the slope and Ahmir Ali at the opposite end bowled with pace and bounce picking up 4 for 18 ending a disappointing reply of just 52.