GARGOYLES BROUGHT DOWN TO EARTH
Alstonefield Cricket Club suffered their first defeat of the season against a strong Oakamoor team out to avenge last season’s defeats. Oakamoor batted first and made an excellent start with the Wolff father and son combination putting on 46 for the first wicket, before Wolff senior was out for 28. There was then another strong stand with Wolff junior pressing on to make 41 and Sutton making 29. With some late flurries from Bailey and Smith, the total reached 150 off 35 overs at just over 4 an over. The Gargoyles’ bowling had been steady, with Ian McKay the pick with 3 for 16 off his 7 overs.
Just how good a score 150 was, became clear when the top 4 Gargoyles batsmen were dismissed for 16 in the first 8 overs. Ian McKay with 22, Sunil Angris with a battling 30 not out and Richard Salt with 15 not out, stopped a total collapse and put some respectability on the scoreboard, but it was painfully slow going against a relentlessly accurate Oakamoor attack. 112 for 6 at the end and defeat by 38 runs. Not a disgrace, but outplayed with bat and ball.