1st XI fall at semi-finals stage in Parish Cup

Booth 241 for 8 beat Illingworth 228 all out by 13 runs

Report by P.A. Smith, photograph by https://www.haydnbartlettphotography.com

Scorecard: https://illingworth.play-cricket.com/website/results/4064003

Illingworth fell 13 runs short of an upset in the Parish Cup Semi Final at Broadfold Park against cup holders and Premier League champions Booth. In front of a big crowd with lots of travelling support the visitors were favourites to win wanting 16 to win with four overs to go and four wickets in hand, but, in an amazing finish, lost their last four wickets for just two runs with still 11 balls of the match remaining.

Earlier, Booth put into bat were in deep trouble at 21-3 with Luke Brooksby doing the damage but a 4th wicket partnership of 133 between the Laycock brothers put them right back in charge. When Richard departed for 51 at 154-3 the home side looked set for a huge total with 18 overs still to go. Dropped twice Robert Laycock powered to 118 with 15-4s and 5-6s but Illingworth did well to reign the scoring in and restrict the target to 241. Luke Brooksby finished with 4-28 from his allotted 9 overs.

In reply, the visitors made the worst of starts losing Matty Smith in the second over and, at 22-1 after 15 overs, looked to be well out of the race. Hamza Mehmood 31 and Callum Cook 35 put a better slant on things for the visitors but at 74-4 and 21 overs gone still looked well out of the picture. A partnership of 87 between Richard Farrell Smith 40 and Veryan Brooksby in just 11 overs pulled Illingworth right back into contention and when Brooksby 86 off just 59 balls and Jamie Moorhouse added 55 for the seventh wicket it was Illingworth's game to lose. Unfortunately for them with the rapid departure of both in quick succession they did just that falling 13 runs short.

Photo album by Andy Groves: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7thgear_flickr/albums/72157709658367026