This in from Ashley on behalf of Northwood Cricket Club. Ed
Shanklin elected to bat first on a damp wicket, and started positively with 31 runs coming from the opening six overs. However, when James Lucy was bowled for 9, the wickets started to tumble and Shanklin lost five wickets for just 23 runs, Ashley Goldsmith claiming four of them, including top-scorer Mark Ringer for 22.
The introduction of Simon Goldsmith didn’t help the Shanklin batsmen either, he took 4-14 in a nine-over spell, before Ashley Goldsmith returned to take his fifth wicket to finish the innings, ending with 5-22, Ollie Moseley unbeaten on 15, Shanklin 114 all out.
Knowing victory would seal the league title, Northwood got off to a shaky start as Kerry Rice was caught behind off Moseley for just 3. Nick Heelan and Adam Birch began to steady the ship though, before the latter was bowled by Lucy for 23. Birch’s wicket sparked a collapse as Northwood slumped from 43-1 to 56-5, Lucy and Andy White taking combined figures of 4-39 from 18 overs. However, captain Heelan (45*) and Ryan Chessell (21*) showed no nerves as they took the side home in the 32nd over, Northwood winning by 5 wickets and beating Newport to the title by 23 points.
2nd XI tie with Ryde III
Northwood’s 2nd XI were involved in a thrilling tie against Ryde III at Ryde School. Ryde III were put into bat, but started well through Ben Baker (66) and Fred Boyce (28). Ollie Thompson added some middle-order impetus, making 58 from just 45 balls before the hosts declared on 263-7 from 40 overs, Callum Witham (2-30) and James Whitewood (2-46) with two wickets apiece.
Northwood started well in their chase, despite the wicket of Steve James for 21, with Jeff Barrett and Gavin Paddock putting on 82 for the second wicket, Barrett the next to go for 40. Boyce (2-54) struck twice in two balls, but Paddock continued to punish the Ryde bowling before he was dismissed for 101 from only 74 balls, one of three batsmen to fall to Simon Berendt (3-53). 61-year-old Graham Holder played a crucial knock in the middle order, making 41 from 31 balls, but it was a frantic finish to the match, Northwood needed one to win from the final delivery of the match, but Matt Wood was run out to end the match as a tie.
