Gayton were inserted by Tows on a track where scoring would prove to be difficult and were quickly in trouble.

Roy was surprised by the bounce and poked a catch to Tom Sheppard at gully off Andy Cater. Dam drove strongly to mid on but was well caught by Michael Alcock off Cameron Emerson and Emerson then bowled Henry Newby with a full delivery. Gayton were reduced to 13/3 from 5 overs.

The batting conditions clearly demanded a good technique and Cameron Waldron, Gayton’s form player, displayed it in a knock that would be decisive for his team. He defended solidly and dispatched any wayward bowling as he went about re-building the innings.

Though Bobsin and Faraday were soon removed, both caught behind by Ben Johnson off Cater, Waldron eventually found support from Drew Blundell. They added 38 crucial runs with some big hits before Blundell was caught and bowled by Emerson for a handy 19.

Wickets continued to fall as Deb popped a simple catch to keeper Johnson off Alex Duncan and Roberts yorked Sam Newby. Waldron was now looking to play some big shots but eventually holed out to Adam Booth off Roberts.

Gayton’s innings ended on 108 when Duncan bowled M. Das with a ball that kept low.

The figures for all Tows bowlers were good – Emerson 3/44, Cater 3/20, Roberts 2/27, Duncan 2/16 but bowling conditions were very helpful.

The target for Towcestrians, though low, was going to a challenge – and so it proved.

Tows openers Rob Jones and David Roberts negotiated the first few overs comfortably, scoring from a few loose deliveries from Henry Newby and Dew Blundell but with the score on 18 Roberts gloved a rising short ball from Drew to keeper Waldron.

Tom Sheppard joined Jones and they added a further 26 until Sheppard was adjudged LBW to a full ball from Dam for 10. Ben Johnson fell quickly popping a catch to gully off Bobsin and Tows were 45/3.

Adam Booth now helped Jones move the score along slowly and enjoyed some good fortune chipping a number of shots between fielders but the dismissal of Jones, bowled by Dam for 33, was critical as he had been looking very solid.

Andy Roberts entered and played with his usual control but at the other end Booth went airborne once too often and was caught at point off Bobsin.

Blundell and Henry Newby now returned to bowl out for Gayton. They were fired up and made batting very difficult. Newby struck immediately – Roberts pushed forward at a ball that got big on him and was caught at slip for 10 and Michael Alcock was bowled by a big off cutter. It looked even worse for Tows when Cameron Emerson, after hitting a huge six off Blundell, was bowled.

With only a handful of runs required Andy Cater continued to chip away but ultimately fell LBW to Blundell. When Alex Duncan attempted a pull off Newby and was caught by Bobsin Tows had fallen 4 runs short of victory. Newby finished with 3/16 and Blundell with 3/26.

As it transpired other results went again Gayton so the win wasn’t enough to save them from relegation.

For all SNCL results see SNCL Results

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