When fourteen Clifton batsmen across the Saturday teams,manage just 29 runs between them, you know it's going to be a tough day at theoffice, especially when your 1st XI is playing against a club with the sort ofplaying budget that Edgworth can boast.
So, it proved, as a 92 run defeat was the outcome atManchester Road on Saturday. It started quite well as, despite being unable tobreak the opening partnership, the flow of runs was kept in check by Ollie andGareth who conceded 60 runs in the first 20 overs when the first wicket fell,following the introduction of Ben Hamilton. He proceeded to chip away forfifteen overs, taking wickets and breaking partnerships in the process andfinishing his spell with 4-69.
At 187-5 with seven overs remaining, there were hopes ofsetting a target that was well within range on a wicket that had proved veryeasy paced and, even when the late order put on 58 in those dying overs, 245seemed very 'gettable'.
It wasn't to be however, and when neither opener can reachdouble figures, you are already staring down the barrel. Despite Crossyproviding another stylish innings, with his 73 taking him to 358 in fourinnings at an average of 179, once again he received little or no support as nofewer than eight players failed to get to ten.
Jack Stanley provided some late entertainment in scoring anundefeated 24 in 22 balls, including a monumental six off Luke Proctor, but theinnings tailed away to 153 all out with five overs still unbowled.
Points against sides like Edgworth can be considered a bonuswith the real meat and drink coming by getting wins against the sides around usin the table. With this in mind, the trip to Denton West becomes a twelve-pointernext Saturday as we enter the last six games, with four of those games againstsides in the bottom half of the table.