James innings gets Croft off the mark

9:48am Wednesday 14th May 2008

Alvechurch and Hopwood (4pts) 167-8
Avoncroft (20pts) 172-5
Avoncroft won by five wickets

AVONCROFT CC recorded their first win of the Crusader Worcestershire League Division Two season against rivals Alvechurch and Hopwood on Saturday.

The win was set up by a good all-round performance from Croft's bowlers, who managed to contain the visiting batting line-up through some probing line and length bowling.

Skipper Paul Athey got the innings off to a good start, taking 2-9 from eight overs, but the visitors clawed their way back, reaching 76-4 off 21 overs with James Clifford looking comfortable at the crease.

The turning point came when Jeff Russell (2-33) was brought on to bowl, and he formed a formidable partnership with Adam Rodway (1-29) as the pair conceded just 13 runs in the next 13 overs, with Rodway also picking up the important wicket of Clifford for 24.

Alvechurch again fought back thanks to sensible batting from Mark Reuben (41) and Martin Curtice (26), but despite their seventh wicket stand of 66, the visitors score of 167-8 off 50 overs looked below par.

In traditional fashion, Croft made hard work of chasing down their target, with Daniel Wolstencroft keeping the top-order batsmen in check early on.

At 62-4, the game was very much in the balance with Croft struggling to break the shackles.

The run chase turned on its head in the fourth over, with Dave James breaking free in spectacular fashion, taking 18 from over.

From that point, Croft never looked back with James continuing the onslaught with support from a circumspect Dave Apperley (21 not out).

James eventually fell for 94, trying to finish the innings in style, but by that point, he had steered Croft to the brink of victory, which was achieved with seven overs to spare.

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