CRICKET: WILLOUGHBY’s 1st XI were left disappointed when their fixture was scratched, meaning the focus turned to the Rugby outfit’s second team.
Willoughby A suffered defeat at Crownhill after losing the toss and being asked to field first.
The home side racked up a target of 202/9 from their 40 overs.
Sanjit Ganju benefitted from an early drop catch to go on and top score with 89, with Dar Aggarwal adding 25.
Nikesh Mistry and Martin Nichols were best with the ball for the visitors – returning figures of 35/3 and 37/3 respectively.
Willoughby in reply were in early trouble – losing two quick wickets.
It was only the batting of Nichols with an unbeaten 66 that held matters together to bring some level of respectability to the innings.
With the run chase out of reach, the visitors eventually closed on 142 for 7 – 60 runs adrift.
On Sunday Willoughby hosted Crick Lions for a friendly game.
The Sunday squad – a mix of youth and experience – enjoyed another fine afternoon at The Green with victory over the Lions.
Having lost the toss, the hosts were inserted to bat.
Sean Thornton and Ashley Rayner built an opening partnership of 96 before Thornton departed for 42.
Rayner reached his half century not long after and kindly retired.
Rayner’s retirement brought together Stuart Hall and Ryan Perry.
Hall also reached 53 and also retired but Perry – firstly with young Dan Farrow (13) and Mark Fell – took Willoughby past the 200 run mark, closing on 226 for 3.
Radley took 40/1 and Howells 11/1 for the visitor’s attack who persisted well with the ball and in the field throughout.
In reply, Crick were soon in early trouble as 14-year-old Jake Quinney took the first of his eventual two wickets in his second over, before a first ball run out doubled the visitor’s troubles.
Farrow replaced the luckless Nick Crane from the other end and his fine five over spell returned great figures of three wickets for just 12 runs to leave Crick at 52 for 5 at the halfway point.
With the hosts in the ascendency, Crick stuck gamely to their task and dug in well for the remaining 20 overs.
Skipper Grant (27) and Gibbins (21) showed good resistance, but wickets for Fell, Thornton, Crane and Quinney in the last over looked to have broken the resolve.
However Crick survived the last four balls to ensure the final wicket remained intact.
Willoughby won by 107 runs.
