GARGOYLES GETTING INTO GROOVE

Two away matches in a week, saw Alstonefield St. Peter’s Cricket Club emerge with a resounding victory over St. Anselm’s Strollers and a creditable draw away at Sutton on the Hill. In a twenty over night match, the Gargoyles posted an aggressive 121 for 8 wickets and with tight bowling kept a strong St. Anselm’s batting line up tied down and ultimately frustrated at 79 all out. Victory by 42 runs.

The Gargoyles then travelled to the delightful setting of Sutton on the Hill, for a new fixture against a well established club. The home team started powerfully and it looked like a long hot day in the field was in store. Openers Johnson and Martindale put on 84 for the first wicket, with Johnson eventually going on to score 124. The Gargoyles’ bowlers exerted real pressure in the middle part of the innings and had Sutton at 151 for 9 wickets, with Phil Bagshaw (4 for 47) Mark Wright (2 for 47) and Ian McKay (3 for 47) the pick of the bunch. Man of the Match Rob Handscombe fought a personal crusade to stop the run flow and saved another 40 runs with brilliant fielding. The last wicket pair with opener Johnson and skipper Dolman then added 72 runs, to finish on 223 all out off 44 overs.

The Gargoyles were not overawed chasing their biggest ever target. Opener Neil Shotton with 20 quick runs set the tone, which Mark Wright, now starting to show real form with 45 and Ian McKay with 36, carried on, to put the Gargoyles in with a chance needing 98 runs from the final 20 overs. A couple of quick wickets and suddenly it was Sutton who sensed victory, but Will Siddons, playing in spite of a mystery illness, and Dave Singleton, closed the match out. 164 for 7 wickets and the match was drawn. A perfect example of the quintessential village cricket match, played against the perfect hosts.