Watson's five-wickets help 1st XI take full points against SBCI

Illingworth extended their lead at the top of the Premier Division to seven points with a comprehensive win at Jammy Green against SBCI.

Put into bat on a slightly damp surface, the home side made the worst of possible starts with opener Matty Smith falling to the first ball of the day. Stand in opener Richard Farrell Smith made the most of the opportunity with an attractive 58 containing 8-4s and 1-6 and putting on 84 for the second wicket with Hamza Mehmood 38. Ben Robertshaw38 and Luke Brooksby 34 lifted the score to 171 before Veryan Brooksby playing with a damaged finger hit a swash buckling undefeated 30 off just 12 balls to lift the score to a challenging 206. Oliver Benson was the pick of the visiting bowlers with 3-52.

SBCI made steady progress in reply but were always behind the clock and when Simon Wood sacrificed his wicket in an attempt to accelerate the run rate for a well constructed 53, the game was slipping away at 116-6. Daniel Brock offered some late resistance with 24 which gained a second batting bonus point, but Luke Brooksby's pace was too much for the tail as Illingworth seized full points with just five balls to spare. Matthew Watson was instrumental in SBCI's downfall with his 1st XI best of 5-52 in 14 overs and Luke Brooksby and Jamie Moorhouse both picked up two wickets at vital stages of the game.