Bourne squeeze past Norton Lindsey to return to the summit

Ross Milton and Travis Butcher played starring roles as Wellesbourne gained an excellent three-wicket win at Norton Lindsey & Wolverton to return to the top of the Cotswold Hills Premier Division table.
Wellesbourne's Jamie Maynard bowling to Norton Lindsey's Steve Rushton. Picture: Morris TroughtonWellesbourne's Jamie Maynard bowling to Norton Lindsey's Steve Rushton. Picture: Morris Troughton
Wellesbourne's Jamie Maynard bowling to Norton Lindsey's Steve Rushton. Picture: Morris Troughton

Norton took first strike and openers Gavin Shephard and Steve Rushton were soon peppering the boundary, racing to 45 after seven overs.

Shephard then fell, caught and bowled for 24 to first change bowler Jamie Maynard and Bourne began to slow the run rate with only 18 runs coming from the next nine overs.

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With the pressure now building on the batsmen the score had reached 95 in the 22nd over when Maynard removed Rushton for 51 to a catch by Dave Barnett.

Stuart Shephard and James Pyatt moved the score along to 121 before Shepherd was caught by Myles Isted off Barnett for 27 and then Bourne grabbed three quick wickets as Conor Green was run out, Barnett trapped Pyatt lbw for 15 and Milton bowled Richard Pozzi and the hosts were tottering on 134 for six.

With the score on 155 Milton produced a superb three-wicket maiden. First he bowled Richard Blythe for 12, next ball he had James Robbins caught by keeper John Edden and two balls later he caught and bowled Dave McInnes.

Sonny Nijar, who had watched from the non-striking end, then took the score to 172 before he became the fifth victim of Milton (5-14), falling lbw for 24.

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After a delay to watch the second half of England’s 2-0 win over Sweden, Bourne were soon in trouble when Isted fell to a catch by Stuart Shephard off Blythe and then on 32 Maynard (12) went lbw to Pozzi.

Craig Cook, stepping up from the 2nds, joined Milton and these two steadily took the visitors to 68 in the 21st over when Milton went for 25 to a catch by Pyatt off Nijar.

Bourne then lost three wickets, one of which was Cook for 32, to slide to 103 for six.

Darren Mole and Butcher set about steadily reviving the innings until, on 134, Mole was bowled by Pozzi for 17.

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With 39 still needed the game was in the balance but Butcher (40 not out), with the able assistance of Matthew Woods (14 not out), remained calm and these two took their side to victory.

Wellesbourne’s 2nds gained a narrow three-wicket win at home to Kenilworth Wardens 3rds in Division Two.

Having elected to bat, Wardens were given a good start by Fred Rex (51) and Paul Jacob (62) who put on 125 for the first wicket before Jacob was removed by Edward Smith (1-30).

Good bowling from Noah Rose (3-36) and Neil Abbott (2-49) saw wickets fall consistently as Wardens edged to 199 for seven off their 45 overs.

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In response, James Wilson (44) and Alex Rea (34) put on 82 for the second wicket to take Bourne to 104 before Wilson fell to Joel Jacob (2-40).

The Wellesbourne innings then took a similar path to their visitors as wickets fell regularly to good bowling from Nick Whiting (2-35), Christian Salisbury (1-25) and Keith Berry (1-28).

However, good contributions from Phil Rothwell (27) and Matthew Boyle (21) enabled them to reach their target with two balls to spare.

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