Sileby Town Thursday XI win yet again in the Loughborough Cricket Association Premier League as they overcame Rothley Park CC by 5 wickets.
The home side capped off a terrific bowling performance by knocking off Rothley’s score of 104-8 in 14 overs with just two balls to spare.
In blustery conditions, the visiting captain chose to bat first as they look to set a target for the home side.
Sam Ward was able to pick up plenty of singles in the opening overs of the game, from the bowling of Ryan Dawson and Adam Hackett, but he was only able to secure a 20 run partnership with opening batsman H Barr playing all round Ryan Dawson’s delivery, as he was bowled for just six.
Richard Mear joined Ward at the crease with the score at 20-1 and both batsman were keeping the run rate up to at least eight an over. Ward was able to manipulate the in-field, hitting the gaps where he had consistently found from the opening bowlers, down to the third man region and in front of square leg and between mid-wicket.
Kinch replaced Hackett with his off-break but was unable to make a breakthrough for the second wicket before Dawson finished his spell of 4-0-28-1.
Kinch then changed ends with Ruddle coming on with his slow-medium pace and he was able to pick up the wicket of Mear after he played nicely for his 26 runs from just 23 balls. But he will have felt he had missed out as he was caught by Dawson on the deep square boundary, pulling a full toss that should have gone for a maximum.
Just three balls later, Ward went back to a full ball and was bowled for 37 to the bowling of Kinch, as it stayed slow and low. He could have had two wickets in successive deliveries after wicket-keeper Joe Charity had fumbled a stumping that gave Chris Bulmer another lifeline. But Kinch had Bulmer playing all round which removed his bails, and Rothley were now 72-4 after they were in a solid position just overs before.
Ruddle picked up his second wicket of the night after Williams miss-hit had found Sam Gale at long-on which set off Rothley’s middle order collapse.
Former Sileby Town men Nick Mason and Phil Hackett had the chance to free their arms with just under two overs remaining of Rothley’s innings, but tight bowling at the end from Ruddle and Kinch had halted their push to set a respectable score after their collapse.
Mason soon departed to the hands of Kinch after he lofted his shot to Ruddle at mid-wicket for just eight and Kinch finished his spell with figures of 4-0-25-3.
Hackett didn’t stick around for much longer as he was bowled for 13 from Ruddle which then he was on a hat-trick, instantly removing jack Richardson for a golden duck after he played on.
Josh Simpson managed to pick up a single on the hat trick ball and Rothley ended their innings on 104-8, but with a collapse of just 25-5, they may have just fell 20 runs short of what would have been a respectable total.
Dave Torr and the returning Charles Kindleysides, who re-joined Sileby Town from newly-promoted Premier League Broom Leys, opened for the home side.
Ward had opened up with spin, and not pace with Mason and Simpson. Torr and Kindleysides played with patience and hitting the bad balls for four. Simpson got the wicket of Torr at 41-1, picking out Bulmer at long-off. Asim Khan’s near run-a-ball 10 came to a brief end falling to Simpson for his second of the evening.
After two clean sixes straight over the bowler’s head, Kindleysides soon followed suit, this time stumped off the bowling of Richardson for 32. Mo Khan was then trapped in front for just three and Sileby were now 64-4.
But Sam Gale stuck around with Kinch, and it was his mainstay that enabled Kinch to show his ability and his experience in this kind of situation.
With just four required, Gale was caught by Bulmer for 13, cruelly after his partnership with Kinch had near enough sent Sileby over the finishing line.
Rothley bowled tight and had taken the game in to the last over and it was Kinch who’s crashing four had given Sileby another victory in the midweek league.
Sileby looked set to face Barrow & Burton in Joe Orton cup fixture at home but with the torrential downpour, the game was postponed and will be played next week, weather permitting.
For now, Sileby are at home again and will face Loughborough Carillon in the league as they look to continue their fine run in the Premier Division.
