Match Report
OUTBATTED, OUTBOWLED, OUTFIELDED SPELLS DEFEAT
St Annes 188-9
Horwich 193-3
Gerry Wolstenholme
The first round of the National Knock Out Cup competition at Vernon Road on Sunday ended in disaster for St Annes as they underperformed in all aspects of their game and finished by losing comfortably to Bolton League opponents Horwich.
Winning the toss and electing to bat St Annes made heavy weather of reaching a modest 188-9, much of which came from the lower order, and then fielded poorly and bowled not too much better to find Horwich always in command and winning by seven wickets at 193-3 with two overs and two balls of the contest remaining.
Adrian Darlington and Danny Hagen opened for St Annes and they had put together 12 in six overs when the former flashed at a ball from Gareth Dooley and was caught behind for five. Six further overs and the second wicket was lost when Stephen Twist, having made an encouraging 18, was bowled by Dooley and that was 40-2. Aiden Cotton made two before Gareth Williams had him caught behind by the Bolton League's leading wicketkeeper last season John Partington and that was 49-3. It was very soon 49-4 as Joe Davies had not got off the mark before he played on to Williams and the fifth wicket, that of Hagen, caught at short extra cover by Andrew Taylor off Andrew Walton for 23, was lost at 57 in the 16th over.
When Duncan Whalley, eight, drove Williams to David White at mid-on it was a symmetrical 66-6 in the 17th over and St Annes were very much on the slide. It took a seventh wicket partnership of 59 in 14 overs between Adam Cotton and John Ashworth to revive their fortunes as both players went for their shots. The stand was eventually broken when Gareth Bannister bowled Adam Cotton for 27 and that was 125-7. Adam Taylor made a brief appearance at the crease, made six and then Taylor caught him off David White at 146-8.
Ashworth carried on his onslaught and had hit three fours and four huge sixes when he advanced down the track only to find himself leg before wicket to White for a fine 45 made from 64 balls. That was in the 39th over and at 161-9 it looked very much as though St Annes would not survive their overs. Michael Baer, 16 not out, and Richard Thomas, 13 not out, had other ideas and they took the St Annes total to a more defendable, but not quite safe, 188-9. Gareth Williams with 3-28 was the most successful Horwich bowler.
Horwich made a steady start in reply with Ashley Williams and Nick Woods taking the total to 45 in the 15th over when Adam Cotton trapped the former leg before wicket for 11. This brought in the experienced Grant Long and he began to transform the innings. He attacked from the first ball and looked to have plenty of time to pick his shots. Woods was also going along nicely but it was Long who eventually overtook him 42 to 41 before a wicket fell. Long had struck five sweetly timed fours in his 46-ball innings when he tried to clip Baer square only to find the safe hands of Twist and he had gone for 42 at 103-2. White was run out without scoring when a quick single proved suicidal as Hagen's throw beat the despairing outstretched bat and Horwich were 104-3 in the 30th over.
Woods was by then well into his stride and he was joined by a cavalier Partington who began to strike the ball all round the ground. He took a six and two fours from one Davies over and suddenly the game was getting out of St Annes' reach. The pair put on 89 runs in 12.4 overs and then a huge straight six from Partington won the game for Horwich at 193-3. He finished with a hard-hit 53 not out from just 35 balls with four sixes and two fours while Woods, who had batted serenely throughout only once giving a chance when he left his ground to Adam Cotton only for the stumping opportunity to be missed, finished with 75 not out made from 139 balls with eight fours.
It was a day for the underdogs as they certainly outbatted, outbowled and definitely outfielded a St Annes side that never really came to terms with the requirements so their interest in this season's National Knock Out Cup has gone at the first hurdle.
