Saham fall just short
SAHAM Toney hosted North Runcton on Saturday in an entertaining losing draw as Saham finished just two runs short of victory. Saham, despite a much weakened attack, bowled well early on but with dropped catches Runcton made a steady start.
SAHAM Toney hosted North Runcton on Saturday in an entertaining losing draw as Saham finished just two runs short of victory.
Saham, despite a much weakened attack, bowled well early on but with dropped catches Runcton made a steady start.
They reached 78 before Simon Mower removed one opener, smartly caught at slip by Martin Wood.
Paul Norman then gained his first wicket for the club, removing the other opener to reduce it to 79-2.
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Overseas player Greg Marks then arrived at the crease and started positively and, following his big hundred against Saham earlier in the season, Saham feared the worst.
Mower (3-40) and Norman (1-56) stuck to their guns and bowled their 12-over spells straight through, keeping the score down and the away side moving to 136-4 after 36 overs Saham looked in control.
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But yet again Saham's bowling at the death let them down as Runcton scored at 10 an over. Despite David Ellis taking 2-15, including the wicket of Marks for 82, the damage was done.
Saham knew what they had to do and had a steady beginning. Adi Wood (18) and Dale Sims (14) made starts, but it was the partnership between Simon Pitkethly and Matt Thomas that gave Saham the chance to chase the total down.
Pitkethly (87) took on the away side's attack with some adventurous shots and Thomas (55) showed his class yet again.
Their partnership of 117 was finally broken when Thomas was bowled but Pitkethly fell in the 40th over, leaving Saham just 30 to win.
But where Saham bowling let themselves down, Runcton excelled with 18-year-old Keiran Bunting and 17-year-old Ben Coote showing how to do it, keeping Saham just short of their target, despite the best efforts of David Ellis (26).
Saham are away to Hillington this weekend.
Runcton: P Coote c M Wood b Mower 38, T Coote c Dyer b Norman 30, M Crisp c Pitkethly b Mower 5, G Marks b Ellis 82, M Bunting b Mower 10, D Cubitt c Sims b Ellis 44, A Williamson run out 2, K Bunting not out 0; extras 18. Total 232-7. Bowling: W Dyer 11-0-71-0, S Pitkethly 9-2-47-0, P Norman 12-1-56-1, S Mower 12-3-40-3, D Ellis 2-0-15-2.
Saham: A Wood b Bunting 18, D Sims c M Bunting b K Bunting 14, S Pitkethly c Marks b K Bunting 87, M Thomas b B Coote 55, D Ellis b B Coote 26, S Mower run out 4, P Norman run out 3, W Dyer not out 7, P Always not out 0; extras 16. Total 231-7. Bowling: M Bunting 10-57-1, B Coote 11-2-40-2, K Bunting 9-0-47-2, D Cubitt 6- 0-24-0, M Crisp 7-0-42-0, J Major 3-0-19-0.
