Whitchurch v St Cross Syms IV.

Whitchurch’s poor season continued when they entertained St Cross IV.

After electing to bat the visitors were immediately put under pressure by superb opening spells by Jim Hayward (2-35) and skipper Tom Trinder (10-26) and both picked up early wickets as St Cross were reduced to 40-4.

When Miraque Badurdeen (1-48) took a wicket with his second ball for the club the hosts were on top as the score was 65-5.

That was as good as it got for the local side as Sykes (89 not out) and Wahid (79 not out) slowly rebuilt the innings.

The pair put on an unbeaten partnership of 163 as the home side rang the changes in an attempt to make a breakthrough. It was to no avail as St Cross finished on 228-5.

The reply started disastrously as three wickets fell in the first two overs and they were reduced to 5-3.

However opening bat Dave Mariner stood alone and continued to attack the bowling flaying it to all parts. He hit six sixes and five fours and threatened to win the game on his own.

He had reached 75 out of 101 when he was unluckily dismissed and of the remaining batsmen only Hayward (21 not out) reached double figures in an innings that contained six ducks.

The local side were eventually dismissed for 118.