Barnard Castle CC
IT was a lost weekend for Barney which betrayed contrasting shortcomings.
On Saturday, they suffered their first defeat of the season in the NYSD Premier League when their bowlers allowed Stokesley to dictate terms.
On Sunday their batting capitulated to 58 all out against the York team, Clifton Alliance, bringing a summary end to their participation in the National Club Cup.
The good news from that little lot is that Barney are still top of the Premier Division, albeit by the slender margin of two points. They have a busy schedule ahead in league and (other) cup competitions, giving them plenty of scope to make amends. Both defeats were surprising in their way, coming on the back of four successive victories.
Failing to defend a perfectly adequate total of 179 against Stokesley was perhaps partly down to bowling with a wet ball, though that could not entirely explain the plethora of leg side deliveries.
Opposition opener Andrew Weighell, one of the league’s most prolific players, needed no second invitation to take full advantage.
The heavy six wicket defeat to Clifton was caused by oddly limp batting against a superb opening spell from the opposition pairing of Samuel Grant and David Friend.
From the moment Grant had James Wainman lbw to the fourth ball of the innings, having had him dropped at slip to the third, the match was ripped apart.
Barney went to Stokesley in good heart. Three wins from their three league matches and a recent record against this opposition which suggested they could reinforce their lead at the top of the table. Mostly, their innings went well. There was a slight totter when James Wainman and Hashan Dumindu were out in successive balls but the length of Barney’s batting meant there was no cause for real concern.
Mike Dixon performed steadily, captain James Quinn unfurled some trademark drives before Pat Roberts and Giles Creedon, both playing with admirable control, ensured that they had an acceptable total on a green pitch.
The late clatter of wickets, four going down for two runs, which deprived them of a fourth batting point, seemed not to matter if they went on to win.
There followed some untypically wayward bowling. By the 14th over, Stokesley reached 50 and although Sam Gaudie mis-pulled a short ball to give Barney a breakthrough, the Weighell brothers, Andrew and Jonny, were allowed too many easy runs. By the time they were parted the damage was beyond repair.
Time to regroup for the national knock-out, sponsored by Royal London.
Barney would have liked to bowl first, given that the pitch was likely to have some early life, but it did not seem of grave consequence when they lost the toss.
But Wainman edged his third ball to slip, was beaten by an inswinger next ball – the fourth time he has been out in the first over – and it was downhill all the way. Grant and Friend had things entirely their own way and for once Barney lacked gumption. Clifton’s young spinners completed the rout.
Although Barney’s bowler then redeemed themselves with some sterling work, Josh Bousfield being exemplary, it was an impossible total to defend and Clifton duly reached their target by the 21st over.
Barnard Castle v Stokesley
Barney
J Wainman lbw Sawyer 13, M Dixon c Newell b A Weighell 24, H Dumindu lbw Sawyer 0, J Quinn c Chandler b Masakadza 42, R Borrowdale b A Weighell 5, P Roberts run out 41, G Creedon c Newell b Atkinson 22, J Bousfield c J Weighell b A Weighell 8, P Merryweather b A Weighell 0, R Watson b A Weighell 1, R Dixon not out 0, Extras 23, Total 173 all out (50 overs)
Bowling – W Masakadza 15-1-59-1, C Sawyer 8-2-18-2, A Weighell 13-0-44-5, R Chandler 8-1-18-0, R Atkinson 6-0-27-1.
Stokesley
S Gaudie c Creedon b Wainman 9, A Weighell c Bousfield b Wainman 92, J Weighell c Watson b Dixon 44, S Newell not out 9, R Foreman not out 0, Extras 17, Total 171-3 (40.2 overs)
Bowling – J Bousfield 11-2-43-0, J Wainman 12.2-0-55-2, R Dixon 8-3-19-1, G Creedon 8-0-23-0, R Watson 1-0-18-0.
Stokesley won by 7 wickets
Barney v Clifton Alliance
Barney
J Wainman lbw Grant 0, F Usher lbw Friend 0, H Dumindu c&b Friend 15, J Quinn b Grant 4, R Borrowdale b Friend 10, P Roberts b Grant 0, J Bousfield c Taylor b Montgomery 12, R Watson b Brown 6, R Dixon c&b Brown 3, T Merryweather b Montgomery 0, P Merryweather not out 0, Extras 8, Total 58 all out (21.2 overs)
Clifton Alliance
D Taylor lbw Dixon 30, A Simpson lbw Bousfield 1, M Montgomery c P Merryweather b Wainman 0, K Bradley b T Merryweather 6, S Grant not out 8,J Turp not out 0, Extras 16, Total 61-4 (20.2 overs)
Bowling – J Bousfield 8-3-12-1, J Wainman 8-2-30-1, T Merryweather 22.2-1-13-1, R Dixon 2-1-4-1.
Clifton Alliance won by 6 wickets
Barnard Castle II v
Thornaby II
BARNEY IIs continued their superb start to the season with their fourth victory. Twice they had to come back from adversity and twice they responded.
After a solid start to their innings a middle-order collapse followed. But Adam Smith and Shame Mullery ensured they had a respectable total.
Tom Brooks and Adam Smith made inroads into Thornaby’s innings before a sixth wicket stand began to look ominous.
But the introduction of Finn Usher’s off spin turned the match completely as he took his first five wicket haul in senior cricket for Barney.
Barney II 158 all out (45.3 overs, A Smith 35, S Mullery 32, J Alderson 18, F Usher 17, D Mpofu 4-38, J Wollston 2-30); Thornaby II 91 all out (L Beaumont 49, E Wollston 18, F Usher 5-7, T Brooks 4-39). Barney won by 67 runs
Darlington III v Barney III
THE young and inexperienced Barney III met a Darlington side in top form. There were highlights, however. Dan Watson bowled with some threat and Joe Toulson batted with flair to find his form at the top of the order.
Darlington III 256 for 6 (40 overs, L Giacomelli 69, O Clarke 46, D Watson 4-33, J Byers 2-47); Barney 122 all out (31 overs, J Toulson 63, J Byers 15, J Riley 5-27, J Knowles 4-20) Darlington won by 134 runs
Fixtures
Thursday May 16: First XI v Seaton Carew, Macmillan Cup (A).
Saturday May 18: First XI v Marske (A 1pm); second XI v Redcar (H, 1pm).
Sunday May 19: Third XI Middlesbrough (H 2pm)
Tuesday May 21: First XI v Burnhope, Austin Trophy (A).
