Edgworth carried on where they left off last season with a 300 plus run fest on Saturday. The bowlers toiled away manfully against a vastly more experienced side that mustered three half centurions on the day, and it was difficult to find fault with any of the bowling or fielding performances. Sometimes you just have to hand it to the batsmen and concede that they played extremely well on the day.
It all started well enough as Ollie Sleight grabbed his first CCC wicket with just six on the board and when this turned into 37-2 when Jordy Higham took the first of his four catches, things looked good. It quickly turned sour however as the next three all scored in the fifties and that platform heralded a final ten overs of carnage with the ball flying to all parts. Apart from Jordy's four catches, there were positives in the fact that all five bowlers got wickets and that, remarkably, Edgworth were all out for their 311.
The reply started with Matt Howarth falling first ball for the first of five LBW decisions out of the first six wickets which ultimately ended any semblance of a run chase. This was particularly disappointing because earlier, despite many appeals, not one came Clifton's way. It was doubly disappointing as Sam Dorsey was once again finding conditions to his liking and with support he could have guided his side to an unlikely victory. In the event, his 67 not out was the only bright spot as the reply fizzled out on 136. Matt Van Dyke was next highest scorer with 20 and the Higham bros were the only others to manage double figures.
In the future, the side will play more poorly than this and win, but on the day Edgworth's superior skills and experience over a side whose average age is just a tad over 20, held sway and a first defeat of the season was registered.