Super Cooper ends up a loser (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Super Cooper ends up a loser

FIELDING a weakened side, Elmley Castle were always going to have a difficult WCB Indoor League match against Overbury but in the early stages it looked as though they might pull through.

Simon Cooper and Geoff Print gave them a good start with an unbroken stand of 50 off the first six overs. But, when the former departed the cracks began to show.

When Paul Gillett came on to bowl, his pace proved too much for the inexperience of the lower order. Despite skipper Ian Woodford being well in control, he couldn't maintain enough of the strike to post a challenging total as the innings closed on 86-4.

Apart from Cooper, who had the magnificent figures of 3-11, Overbury's batsmen had the measure of the other Elmley bowlers who were sadly lacking in both length and direction.

Haynes and Bull put on 54 for the first wicket before the former was well run out by some slick fielding. Gillett and Munro, though, weren't going to miss out on the wayward bowling and raced to the required total with nine balls to spare.

Simon Cooper was man of the match with 20 runs to accompany his fine bowling.

Stanway were asked to bat against Ashton in last week's other contest when Green and Lawrence had no problems against the opening bowlers.

Green scored freely but when he reached 25 and had to retire there was nothing left in the batting department.

With Tom Archer kept in res-erve, it looked as though he would be reaping his usual wicket harvest, but it was medium-pacer Sheppard who did the damage. The excellence of the Ashton fielding also helped with a trio of splendid run-outs that helped skittle Stanway for 91.

Tom Archer and Darren Haines then treated the bowling almost with contempt and both reached their maximum 25 in short time.

Enter Richard Wood, making a welcome return, and he also put the Stanway attack to the sword with a quickfire innings before he too retired.

Although Sheppard was smartly stumped by Green off Griffiths without scoring, Jason Haines and Turner saw Ashton to victory with four overs to spare.

Wood was man of the match with a fine return of 1-23 to acc-ompany an unbeaten 27.

Fixtures for February 17: Stanway v Bidford (8pm), Overbury v Dumbleton (9).