RUGBY Cricket Club (RCC) started the season with a confident 86-run win against Rochdale as the club’s players brushed off their winter cobwebs in style.
Rugby won the toss and elected to bat only to lose captain Matt Ewer (5) in the second over before Alex Watson (38) and Kyle Taylor (20) added 53 in a solid second-wicket partnership.
In came Wes Landsdale who picked up where he left off to score 51 from 50 balls after Owen Edwards (21) fell to Mohammad Khan’s spin bowling (3-27).
Landsdale opted to retire having reached his half century which allowed Kasir Shah to score 18 not out from just seven deliveries in an entertaining end to the innings.
Rugby finished on 191-5 from their 40 overs which looked a good score on a slow wicket due to the wet weather.
And the game swung in Rugby’s favour in the sixth over of Rochdale’s innings when Lee Golding suddenly produced a trio of perfect swinging deliveries to claim three wickets in the space of four balls.
He shared the new ball with Rugby’s new overseas signing Divan Posthumus (1-10) as the South African showcased his potential to hurry the Rochdale batsmen from the outset.
Rochdale slumped to 12-4 and failed to recover from the collapse of their top order as Shah and Danny Sadiq grabbed a wicket apiece before Landsdale (2-11) and Golding (4-30) took further scalps.
And Alex Watson (1-7) claimed the final wicket as Rochdale were bowled out for just 105 in the 32nd over.
