Gargoyles Winning Habit is Catching

Alstonefield Cricket Club travelled to the magnificent splendour of Hardwick hall on Sunday and came away with a convincing 7 wicket win, after a strong team performance.

Bowling first, the Gargoyles kept an accurate line and length without looking threatening, until Mark Wright held on to low straight drive from opener Colley, with a brilliant caught and bowl. He then joined everyone in applauding Rob Handscombe’s magnificent one handed catch to dismiss opener Wheatcroft. The middle order was exposed and in a near repeat of the previous match at Wootton, Ian McKay ripped through the heart of Hardwick’s batting to take 4 wickets for 14 runs. Unwin and Gregory put up a 50 run rearguard action to give the Hardwick score some respectability, but with Mark Wright also notching 4 wickets and another superb catch, the Gargoyles had dismissed Hardwick for 132 after only 28 overs, with the final dismissal proving the value of tireless practice, as Neil Shotton held on to a skier.

Captain John Salt has been astute this season in moving his batting order around to give everyone opportunities to find their form. Rob Handscombe, opening for the Gargoyles, provided stubborn resistance to the Hardwick attack for his 16 runs and was the perfect foil for John Gill to play his clean hitting, expansive game. He made a fine 57, before being caught on the boundary. In a drama free denouement to the innings, Ian McKay ( 32 not out) and Mark Wright (14 not out) took the score to 133 for 3 with 9 overs to spare. A win by 7 wickets and a good start to the season with three wins and a draw to show from May’s four away matches.