Willoughby fall to 117-run reverse at Wroxton - The Rugby Observer

Willoughby fall to 117-run reverse at Wroxton

Rugby Editorial 6th Jul, 2018   0

DEFEATED but by no means disgraced was the verdict from Willoughby’s trip to Wroxton where they finished on the wrong side of a 117 run reversal in the South Northans Premier Division.

The visitors went into the game missing half their regular side of recent weeks and in baking hot conditions were asked to field which saw the home side rack up a large total to chase.

Anser Aslam hit 122 and Basit Ahmed 52 as Wroxton took advantage of a ridiculous short boundary on one side and a lightning fast outfield to make 320-8.

Credit to Willoughby’s bowlers who toiled away in the heat with youngsters Calum Hanks and Dan Farrow coming in and taking a wicket, as did James Goodwin also drafted in from the second team who took 3-66.




There was the added quirk of Wroxton’s final wicket being ‘timed out’ in keeping their reluctance to search for balls which pushed Willoughby’s time in the field to be far longer than anticipated.

In reply, the visitors exacted some revenge by batting through their full over entitlement, even if they fell some way short of the target.


They closed on 203-9 having recovered from being 56-4, with the mainstay of the innings coming from stand-in skipper Ashley Rayner who typically led by example with a dogged and well-crafted unbeaten 90 not out.

Shahnawaz Muhammed was the pick of the Wroxton bowling taking 3-36.

Willoughby A made it five wins on the trot in Division Four with a comfortable success over their Silverstone counterparts at The Green.

Batting first, the visitors made 137-7 from their 40 overs with their innings dominated by Martin Harris who made an unbeaten if at times fortuitous 71.

Sean Thornton took 4-27 and Fergus Deery 2-44 for the Willoughby attack.

In reply, the hosts recovered from an early loss to cruise to their target with over 15 overs to spare.

Matt Goss (48) and Kamesh Ganti (58) put on a partnership of 115 for the second wicket.

While both fell in close succession, Derek Middlemiss came to the crease and dispatched four boundaries to finish with 16 not out and see Willoughby home by seven wickets.

Willoughby’s under-15s produced a fine all-round performance against Rugby on Sunday to win the Rugby & District Cricket League’s KO Cup final at Barby.

Rugby won the toss and asked Willoughby to bat, and that decision delivered early rewards with both openers removed as wickets fell in the first and second overs.

However, that brought Willoughby captain Jake Quinney to the crease and he led from the front to first steady the ship and then take the game to Rugby with the bat.

Although wickets fell around him, Quinney remained resolute and combined patience and some watchful defence with some good all-round attack and strong running, before retiring on reaching his half century having made a well-worked 52 not out which included eight boundaries.

Michael Deery proved a worthy ally making a fine 20 in a partnership of 42, and with Liam Franks adding an equally valuable 19 and Justin Hanks a quick –fire nine in the latter stages, Willoughby recovered matters sufficiently from their early setbacks to go into three figures and a post a competitive total of 128-7 off their 20 overs.

Rugby’s Max Johnson took the bowling plaudits for his side with a deserved 3-28 and Daanyal Sadiq took 2-4 off his four overs.

In reply Rugby never recovered from being 5-2, 7-3 and then 15-4 as the Willoughby attack, buoyed by a large support, dominated from the outset.

Archie McMillan (0-4) and Dan Farrow (3-8) applied the early pressure which made the early inroads.

That put Rugby behind the run rate as wickets tumbled, ahead of Quinney then capping what was to be a man-of-the-match performance with a wicket and then a flying catch to remove top scorer Eddie King for nine.

With Willoughby still ever-keen and attacking in the field, it was then left to Callum Hanks with 2-9 and Deery with 2-3 to complete matters as Rugby were bowled out for 45, giving Willoughby victory by 83 runs.

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