1st XI Match Report

DATE: Monday 30th May 2005
OPPONENTS: Olton
VENUE: Atherstone
RESULT: Match Drawn
POINTS: Atherstone 15pts, Olton 8pts

Atherstone completed an excellent Bank Holiday weekend with a winning draw over Olton at Ratcliffe Road on Monday and they came within a couple of difficult dropped catches of a second win in 3 days.

On another good wicket, the Adders were asked to bat first and made a dreadful start with Vic Clements, Dave Blower and Matt Pickering all back in the pavilion and Olton in the ascendancy with the score at 28 for 3.

The Adders regained the initiative thanks to a brilliant partnership of 152 for the fourth wicket between Luke Reeves and Mike Pickering,full of positive play which belied the precarious position Atherstone were in when the stand commenced and which blossomed as the pair took control.

Reeves completed a classy hundred, hitting one six and 16 fours in his 113, while Pickering worked the ball around the large Atherstone field with some aplomb, hitting 5 fours in a vital supporting knock of 71.

Manny Alcock (31) and Adi Williams (11not out) kept the momentum going and Atherstone finished their allotted 50 overs with a massive score of 278 for 8, a far cry from their earlier troubles.

Matt Pickering and Steve Healey turned in excellent spells with the new ball and Olton never got going in their reply. They were soon in trouble at 17 for 3 and regularly lost wickets as home skipper Vic Clements rotated the bowlers on a regular basis.

Jez Bishop  made a determined 49 but survived a couple of difficult chances before finally departing with 8 overs left.

Although the Adders crowded the bat, they were unable to find a final breakthrough and some late slogging by Gavin gained Olton a couple of extra batting points. Matt Pickering finished with 4 for 46 while Healey and young off spinner Ger Thomas took two wickets apiece.

Scoreboard