IT WAS another weekend of mixed fortunes for Sully Centurions, with two contrasting results.
The First XI entertained Whitchurch Heath at Burnham Avenue and found themselves making an early breakthrough, with Shafiq run out to leave Whitchurch on 6 for 1. Another wicket fell when Harish Hirani bowled Morgan for 14, with the visitors on 39-2. This was followed by a third wicket partnership between Berkley and Reynolds that doubled the score, before both batsmen fell within nine runs of each other.
At 87-4, things seemed to be playing out pretty evenly, but Whitchurch kicked on a gear to reach 123. Then, once again, another two quick wickets seemed to draw Centurions back into contention, and with the score on 127-6, it was still anyone’s game.
However, once more Whitchurch dug in to press home the advantage. There were no big scores, but the majority of the batsmen got into double figures to finish on a creditable 212-8. The top scorer was Masih, with 35. For Sully, the wickets were shared around, but Lloyd Bruce and Dan Bowden were the top bowlers, with two wickets each.
In reply, Centurions never really got going and wickets began to tumble. Soon they were up against it and reeling at 46-5. Jake Griffett hit an entertaining 39 to be Sully’s top scorer, but the innings fizzled out when the last wicket fell with the score on 128.
For Whitchurch, Best was the pick of the bowlers with a five-wicket haul.
Sully Centurions 128 all out, Whitchurch Heath 212-8
The Second XI travelled to Whitchurch for the reverse fixture and ran out easy winners.
Batting first on a hot afternoon, Centurions lost skipper Zia Gehlan in the second over, with just one run on the board. However, the score had rattled on to 74 before the next wicket fell. But as is often the way, after a big partnership, two wickets went down in quick succession. Soon it was 90-4 and the home team must have thought they had weathered the storm.
But Basil John entered the fray and began to enjoy himself. In a 99-run partnership with Shan Rehman, he hit nine sixes before being bowled for 70. Shan kept going and looked odds on for a century. However, he was bowled by Sewell for 97, in the penultimate over. The final score of 312 for 9 left Whitchurch with a mountain to climb.
After tea, Whitchurch began their innings steadily, reaching 35 before Jones was dismissed by Amrik for 15. Reed (34) and Milburn (26) shared a half-century stand before Reed was bowled by Jag Gorsia. Another decent partnership between Milburn and Richards took them to 124 for 3, in the 28th over.
But this was the beginning of a massive collapse, leaving Whitchurch on 133 for 7. But, with the win out of reach, they dug in and reached 180-8, securing maximum batting points. But the victory went to the visitors, helped in no small way by Bharat and Kapil bagging six wickets between them.
Whitchurch Heath 180-8, Sully Centurions II 312-9
This weekend sees the First XI travelling to Pentyrch, while the Second XI host Rogerstone at Burnham Avenue. Sully Centurions are grateful to our shirt sponsors GMB and Dudden Law, as well as our match ball sponsors IJP.
MF
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