2nds Crush Cherry Burton

MNDCC 2nds – 243-7 (45 overs)
Cherry Burton – 62 all out (24.4 overs)

MNDCC won by 181 runs

The MNDCC 2nds returned to winning ways by easily dispatching newly
promoted Cherry Burton in a clinical all-round display at the Middleton
Recreation ground on Saturday afternoon.
After winning the toss, home skipper Harry Newlove had no hesitation in
batting first on a true surface under cloudless skies.
Despite the early loss of opener Ed Keyes, who played on against the bowling of
Alex Grainger for just 5, MND made a positive start with Dale Bower and the
returning Pat Scott regularly exploiting the fast outfield and finding the
boundary at will.
When Bower was bowled by the impressive David Butt (12-4-42-5) for a well-
made 35, Scott upped the ante in the company of Jack Conner, hitting 5 fours
and as many sixes as he passed fifty with ease before also being bowled by
Butt for a match changing 73.
Late cameos by Newlove (40no) – his highest score for the club – and veteran
Jason Hullah (36) lifted the Black Caps to a daunting total of 243-7 heading into
the innings break.
Fired up after a fantastic batting effort, the home side had Cherry Burton on
the back foot straight away with superb new ball spells from both Bower (9-2-
14-1) and Hullah (9-6-14-4).
The former could have had three wickets in his opening over but for poor
fielding, but it was Hullah who made a double breakthrough when he had
visiting captain Nathan Parkin (4) caught behind and fellow opener Roy
Robinson (11) caught at mid-off.
Bower finally earned his just rewards – dismissing Chris Wilson for a duck to
give Alfie Hutchinson his second catch of the innings in what was a fine outing
in the field for the youngster.

With the Cherry batting now in a deep hole after Hullah claimed two more
cheap wickets, Newlove introduced Laura Conner and Tom Yates into the
attack and the pair quickly settled into their respective spells.
Conner struck three times in her opening two overs knocking over the stumps
of the Cherry numbers 7, 8 and 9 to leave them perilously placed at 29-9.
Despite a 10 th wicket fightback from the visitors - more than doubling their
eventual total in the process - they were finally bowled out in the 25th over
when the impressive Conner (3.4-1-17-4) had number 10 Grainger caught
behind.

The victory lifts MND up to fifth in the table ahead of a tough matchup at
league leaders Welton II next Saturday.

MOTM: Jason Hullah for a fine all-round performance.