Senior side left in the dark!

8:45am Wednesday 14th May 2008

CHELTENHAM Civil Service provided the opposition for Tewkesbury's senior side and skipper John Allcoat chose to bat first on a good looking wicket.

The visitors rattled up 223-9 and were only denied full points by the home side's last wicket pair after a decent display in the field.

Stuart Tame made a fine 51 and overseas player Marlon Franklin hit 39 with newcomer Jeremy Welch giving useful support.

However, it was Warren Deeming who provided the impetus to take the score past the 200-mark with an innings of 56 that included five 4s and two 6s to end the 45 overs in fine fashion.

Franklin then picked up a wicket in his first over thanks to a smart low catch from stumper James Allcoat.

Skipper John bowled a tidy line at the other end and Franklin's opening eight overs brought three wickets as the chasers struggled.

Welch also captured three wickets in his ten-over stint before Franklin returned for a second spell that prompted controversy.

Two wickets were needed to end the Civil Service innings but a home batsman walked off claiming it was too dark to face the paceman and that after hitting two 6s in the previous over off the spinner!

Franklin was taken out of the attack and Allcoat took a ninth wicket as the hosts closed on 172-9 with Franklin claiming 3-27 off his 11 overs.

The third team faced Gladiators on Sunday when the hosts totalled 165 in reply to their opponents' impressive score of 221.

The club's Sunday side visited Chipping Sodbury and posted 201-4 off their 40 overs with John Allcoat hitting 85 not out.

The hosts could only muster 180 in reply with Franklin doubling his weekend wicket haul.

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