Sileby suffer setback at Ivanhoe

 

Sileby Town’s slow start to the Division 2 campaign continued as they suffered their first defeat of the season at Leicester Ivanhoe losing by four wickets.

 

Despite the morning torrential downpour  in Leicester Forest East, the game got underway on time and captain Ben Cavey’s decision to bat first in overcast conditions had favoured the Ivanhoe bowlers early on, much to the visitors disadvantage.

Just four balls gone in to the first over, Cavey (0) was dismissed by umpire Clark, as he was judged to have been leg before wicket to the bowling of Mark Shortland.

Rob Moore followed at three as he signalled his intent with some crashing boundaries early on in a partnership of 18 with Adam Hackett, before he was bowled by Amir Sultan for just 2 off 23 deliveries.

Sileby soon found themselves in a spot of bother at 45-4 and 67-5 with Mo Khan (2) caught behind and Joe Charity (1) trapped in front of the stumps, as Rob Moore stood helpless at the other end, who continued to strike impressively against Ivanhoe’s bowlers.

Moore was joined by the eventual unbeaten Dan Tompkins and with Moore freeing his arms in a brief partnership of 22, Tompkins began to play with great confidence, the longer he was at the crease.

Moore (49) was eventually dismissed, falling one short of his half-century as he was bowled by Dyer.

With Moore’s departure, the incoming Sean Dudley engineered a fight back worth 63 with Tompkins as they were to stop the rot. Both men had grafted in the relatively tough batting conditions, ensuring Sileby had reached their first batting point.

Dudley’s stubborn resistance finally ended as his top edge off Hunt fell to cover for a vital 30. Ruddle (5*) and Tompkins (50*) saw out the end of Sileby’s innings as they ended up on 144-6 with the latter reaching his half century in 89 balls.

After tea, a returning Phil Chamberlain opened the bowling with Lila Godhania as they looked to defend a modest total. Opening pair Yeow and Jon Beaumont had gone about the chase in heavy fashion, with Yeow punishing Godhania with two early boundaries in just the second over.

Chamberlain’s breakthrough saw Yeow and Beaumont both dismissed in the seventh and ninth over respectively, with Yeow (9) caught behind to Dudley and Beaumont trapped in front his stumps for 14.

However, Newberry and Crowley had managed to anchor the innings and the partnership of 75 proved to be a match winning one.

Godhania’s spell of 7-2-22-0 and medium pacer Ryan Dawson’s tight figures of 7-2-13-0 were unrewarded despite their fine bowling efforts.

Hackett managed to remove Crowley (42) at 99-3 after the left handed and lofted it straight to Ruddle at mid-on which brought Jake Beaumont to the crease in an important situation. The young right hander however failed to help carry on where Crowley had finished, and Cavey picked up his first wicket as Beaumont (1) picked out Charity at point.

With the score at 102-4 with just over nine overs remaining, the game was tightly poised for a good finish.

Geary (12) lasted just 15 balls before Ruddle bowled him, after he tried to sweep the medium pacer over mid wicket.

At 127-5, it had seemed Sileby were close to getting something from the game as Ivanhoe entered their 43rd over. Cavey then picked up his second wicket dismissing Shortland for 5.

But it was R Newbery who ended up unbeaten on 45 along with A Newbery (4*) as they sent Ivanhoe over the finish line in the 44th over.

Ivanhoe pick up 22 points for their deserved victory, and Sileby came away with just 6 despite their defeat.

The Leicester Forest East side move in to third now, eight points behind leaders Loughborough Town and three behind Hinckley Town as they sit in second.

Sileby will look to overturn the loss as quickly as possible as they welcome Loughborough Town at home next Saturday as the Mill Lane outfit sit in ninth place with just 18 points to their name.