PRESCOT and Odyssey recorded another draw on Saturday.
The team that may be hard to beat is certainly finding victory a scarce commodity so far this season though Saturday's result wasn't helped by some negative tactics from Post Sunlight.
P&O won the toss and asked Sunlight to bat. They soon made an impression when a piece of superb work by John Jinks had danger-man Eddie Griffiths stumped for 12.
Further wickets followed, but the bowling wasn't to the recent high standards and Sunlight were at times let off the hook and allowed to make easy runs. Three rain breaks during the Sunlight innings also broke the concentration of bowlers and fielders, as Sunlight eventually compiled a total of 176 for 6 declared. This left P&O under and hours play, plus 20 overs, to reach the target.
P&O were determined to go for the win. The batting order was revised to ensure that the big hitters went in first, and for a while it seemed to be working as Nigel Pearl and Ian Wilkinson put on 30 for the first wicket. Then both openers went in quick succession. Simon Ramsden was caught for one, and Alan McComb fell LBW to Griffiths for two. P&O were reeling at 42 for 4.
Don Hurst and Andy Greenwood came together and put on 54 for the fifth wicket in rapid time. As the game entered the last 20 overs, with P&O needing just over 100 with six wickets remaining, and a confident partnership building, P&O looked in with a shout. Sunlight brought on spin. Don Hurst mistimed a drive and sent a gentle caught-and-bowled back to Neil Manning to be out for 27. Soon after, Andy Greenwood was adjudged LBW for 36. Once big-hitting Alan Jolliffe was dismissed, the match effectively became a battle for survival on P&O's part and so it was, as the innings closed on 147 for 8.
P&O seconds were on the receiving end of a thriller. Despite an excellent 103 not out by Steve Edwards and a P&O total of 211 for 3, Sunlight snatched an improbable victory with a 40-run final partnership.
Better news for P&O 1sts as they progressed into the semi-finals of the Kaufman Cup on Sunday with a five wicket win over St Marys Old Boys. SMOB could only muster 105 all out, with Ian Hayhurst breaking the back of the innings with a fiery 4 for 30. P&O secured victory thanks to Ian Wilkinson's 30 and a final stand of 35 between Barrie Keeble and Alan McComb.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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