Ribblesdale Wanderers 2nd XI made the trip to Blackrod on Saturday, aiming to extend their winning run and maintain their position at the summit of North West Cricket League Conference 2.
Blackrod won the toss and chose to bowl, hoping to make early inroads - a plan that initially paid off. Openers Mack Burgess and Stephen Tandy strode to the crease, but disaster struck early as Burgess was dismissed for a duck in the fourth ball of the innings (0-1). Andrew Hutchins joined Tandy, but the latter soon fell to a loose shot (6-2), and Hutchins followed in the next over, trapped LBW (9-3).
With the innings in trouble at 9-3, Wanderers needed composure.
Enter Josh Dean, making his season debut after re-signing from Clitheroe, and Matthew Brett. The pair steadied the ship, with Dean leading the counterattack. However, Brett’s attempt to accelerate ended in a caught-and-bowled dismissal (44-4).
Charlie Windsor joined Dean at the crease, and the duo began to rebuild, mixing caution with aggression to bring up a crucial 50-run partnership. Just as Wanderers looked set for a strong total, Dean was bowled for a gritty 33 (104-4). Skipper Travis Blezard suffered a golden duck, nicking to first slip (104-5), before Luke Spencer partnered with Windsor to reignite the innings.
Windsor, now in full flow, brought up his maiden senior half-century, a vital knock under pressure. The pair pushed the score to 147 before Spencer was bowled for 19 (147-7). Windsor followed soon after for a superb 59 (147-8), leaving Jack Fielding and Graeme Kershaw to add late runs. Kershaw fell in the final over, but Fielding and Waqas Khan saw out the innings, setting Blackrod a target of 162-9 from 45 overs.
Defending 162, Ribblesdale’s opening duo of Graeme Kershaw and Travis Blezard kept things tight. Kershaw struck first in the 9th over, with Stephen Tandy taking a sharp catch (17-1). Jack Fielding then clean-bowled the other opener (36-2), before Mack Burgess’ direct-hit run-out (53-3) further dented Blackrod’s chase.
After drinks, Waqas Khan entered the attack and wreaked havoc - striking in his first over (58-4) before adding another via LBW (62-5). Another mix-up led to Burgess’ second run-out (64-6), and Waqas then ripped through the middle order, taking two wickets in two balls (66-8). Charlie Windsor chipped in with a clean-bowled dismissal (66-9), before Waqas sealed his five-wicket haul with a stumping by Tandy, skittling Blackrod for just 67 in 32.1 overs.
Charlie Windsor - A match-defining 59 (78 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) - his first senior fifty.
- Waqas Khan: Sensational bowling figures of 4.1 overs 1 maiden 5 wickets for 4 runs!
Wanderers triumphed by 95 runs, securing another 12 points to stay top of the league. A superb all-round performance keeps the momentum firmly with Ribblesdale!
