GARGOYLES HAVE WRIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB

Alstonefield St.Peter’s Cricket Club opened the 2010 season with a resounding seven wicket victory over big town club Ashbourne on Sunday, thanks to a brilliant spell of bowling by Mark Wright. Ashbourne won the toss and elected to bat. Apart from the very first over, which yielded seven runs, the Gargoyles’ bowlers kept to an impeccable line and length throughout the innings. The telling breakthroughs were made by Mark Wright with a hostile six over spell of inswing, which proved too much for the Ashbourne top order. Figures of 4 wickets for 5 runs tell the story. Intelligent field settings by captain John Salt kept the pressure on and catches were held. Leading by example, the captain and his brother Richard then weighed in with three quick wickets, before Ian McKay mopped up the tail with 3 wickets for 4 runs. An exceptional bowling performance had dismissed Ashbourne for only 53 runs in 24 overs.

The Gargoyles response was clinical. Openers Rob Handscombe and Neil Shotton, with a career best 23, put on 30 runs for the first wicket, leaving Ian McKay and captain John Salt to knock off the remaining 20 runs with ease and 19 overs remaining.

There will be sterner tests to come, but this was the best possible start to the new season.