MATCH REPORT Luton Town & Indians Sat 3XI v Clifton Sat 1XI After a frustrating draw last weekend Clifton looked to bounce back against a Luton side that were unbeaten all season. The pre-match signs appeared positive, as a rugby ball seemed to bring previously unseen energy out of Richard Whitbread. With skipper Adam Ryan losing the toss, Luton surprisingly decided to bat, and Jack Brown opened the bowling with the returning Mark Brownridge. The latter bowled with control that complimented the aggression of Brown, and both took an early wicket, Brown clean bowling his victim and Mick Panton holding on to a catch off Brownridge’s bowling. With Clifton firmly in the ascendency, skipper Ryan decided it was time for himselfm to bowl, and picked up two wickets in an over, simply bowling too straight for the Luton middle order. From the other end Richard Foxall bowled fantastic line and length and frustrated the Luton batsman, and deserved his four wicket haul. The most notable wicket was Foxall’s final scalp, where Nick Panton took an outstandingly athletic catch to buy Foxy a wicket from a full toss. Despite the ball hitting the helmet and costing Clifton seven runs, and despite umpire Pat Turner’s best efforts to take the players off for rain, Clifton were always on top and Jack Brown bowled full and straight to dismiss the tail. After losing the toss Clifton were delighted to be set just 115 to win. Rob Ryan and Nick Panton opened up for Clifton, and after the former was dismissed for 7, Clifton’s star batsman Richard Whitbread entered the fray. Whitbread batted cautiously, despite losing complete sight of the occasional beamer, and put away the bad ball with relative ease. He was looking incredibly comfortable until he was wrapped on the pad, only to receive a horror LBW decision. Brownridge was dismissed in a bizarrely similar fashion, and when Panton hauled out for 16 Clifton looked under pressure. However, Simon Lincoln and Jack Brown steadied the ship, and after both got their eyes in, nudged and nurdled the ball round effectively, as well as punishing any poor bowling. With the pair racking up a half century partnership, Clifton cruised to the total with more than thirty overs to spare. Clifton, with an outside chance of still finishing in the top four, look to replicate this form for the final two weeks of the season, and next week take on Letchworth Garden City at the Claybridge.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 09:35:38 +0000