Embsay 1^st XI

Whixley 1^st XI were the visitors to the Billy Bob Ice Cream Parlour sponsored ground. We won the toss and asked them to go first. Sam Arkwright sent their opener back with the first ball of the match. Wickets continued to fall, and they reached 89 for 6, before a partnership of 74 for the seventh wicket took the score to 163 for 7. Another wicket fell at 164 before another 21 was added before the innings closed after 39 overs. The decrease in overs was because of rain interruptions. Sam Arkwright was the best bowler with 3 for 54.

We had made 23 when Nathan Barrett was adjudged lbw even though he had made an inside edge onto his pads! Mo went six balls later. Josh Robinson was next to go having made 3. Tom Stead and Jack Kitching added 41 for the fourth wicket where the latter perished for 26. Arkers joined the fray and scored 21 from 19 balls before being caught. Tom had held up one end, but he had to depart for 34 to leave us 123 for 6. The score had reached 168 when the last wicket fell in the 36^th over. The batter who was dismissed by the first ball of the game more than made up for that by taking 5 for 56. We received seven points and drop one place in the table to eighth.

Embsay 2^nd XI

The 2^nd XI made the long journey to Raskelf, which is near Easingwold, and on losing the toss we were asked to bat first. We struggled to get a grip on the game and by the 22^nd over we stood at 75 for 7. Skipper Paul Wormald joined season debut making Gareth Sharpe and they set about retrieving the situation and put on 56 for the eighth wicket where the later went for 13. Gareth was joined by his son, Zac, and they added 32 for the ninth wicket before Gareth holed out for 54. Our innings closed on 168 for 9.

They lost wickets at 6, 15 and 41 where their opener went for a 49 ball 8. The fourth wicket put on 50, where the number five batter went for 20. They lost their last five wickets for the addition of just 25 runs. Gareth rounded of a cracking afternoon for him personally by claiming 5 for 30 off 10 overs. Their number four batter, Matthew Sigsworth, finished up with a hard earned 53 not out from 107 balls.

The nineteen points gained sees us jump into top spot in the Division Six table. There are just nine points covering the top six.

This week the First XI travel to Thornton Watlass whilst the Second XI are at home to Whixley Seconds. Match ball sponsors are Ian Cranston Auto Technicians and Merritt and Fryers Ltd.

Trevor Coe – ECC Chairman

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