Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club’s 1st team, sponsored by Franks the Flooring Store lost a very close game by three wickets away at Thornaby 2nd XI in the NYSD 2nd division. After being asked to bat first, Aycliffe got off to a reasonable start reaching 58 for 3, thanks to Luke Telford (20 runs), Sam Telford (19 runs) and Joe Haines (14 runs). But the innings exploded into life when on-form captain Adam Randall (sponsored by DTS Joinery) came to the crease and proceeded to smash a season’s best 86 from just 61 balls faced. Randall’s impressive innings included nine boundaries and four big sixes and was his third half century in four innings. Aycliffe were eventually dismissed for a disappointing 174 after 46.1 overs. In reply, Aycliffe made the homeside fight for every run with James Layfield-Carroll (3 for 31) and George Slatcher (3 for 49) leading the way with the ball. However, in a tense finale, Thornaby reached their winning target in the 53rd over with only four balls and three wickets in hand.
The second team had a memorable 27 run victory at home to Yarm 2nd XI in the NYSD 4th division thanks to some remarkable individual performances from their young players. After being asked to bat first, Aycliffe used all of their allotted 40 overs to score a respectable 164 all out with the main contributions coming from 16 year old Matty Greaves (30 off 70 balls), 15 year old Leo Mercy (28 off 31 balls) and Matty French (20 off 35 balls). In reply the visitors appeared to be storming to a very quick victory smashing their way to 71 for 0 from 13 overs. The introduction of captain Joe Teasdale (4 for 37) and Matty Greaves (1 for 23) had a strong impact on the innings, reducing Yarm to 114 for 5. With eleven overs remaining, Harrison Pearson (sponsored by Hatty) was then reintroduced into the attack and the 13 year old seam bowler proceeded to take the last five remaining wickets in just four astonishing overs, finishing with career best figures of 5 for 38 from his eight overs. He was helped enormously by Ryan Patrick who took five brilliant catches, four of them off young Pearson’s bowling, to set a new Aycliffe club record for outfield catches in an innings as Yarm were dismissed for 137 off 36 overs. Special mention must also go to 14 year old Adam Shaw who was keeping wicket for the first time in a senior game and took two stunning catches, including the Yarm captain Neil Edwards, who was looking in fine form before he was dismissed for his side’s top score of 38 runs.
Aycliffe’s u17’s began their season with a heavy defeat by 96 runs away to a very strong Barnard Castle team in the NYSD junior league. The homeside opted to bat first scoring an impregnable 182 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. Tom Dearden was the pick of the Aycliffe bowlers taking 2 for 32 from his four overs. In reply, Aycliffe were bowled out for 86 after 19.3 overs despite Dan Heaton top scoring with a breezy 25 from 26 balls and an equally positive 20 runs off 19 balls by Will Varley.
The u15’s played their long awaited first game of the season and put in a spirited performance despite losing by 33 runs away at Hartlepool in the NYACC. The homeside chose to bat first and scored 141 for 5 in their allotted overs. Joe Ingman was the pick of the Aycliffe bowlers taking 2 for 18. In reply, captain Owen Smith got Aycliffe off to a good start before he was dismissed for 20. Tom Dearden then took over and batted superbly, finishing unbeaten on 50 from just 31 balls faced and he hit six boundaries and a six. Dan Heaton chipped in with 18 runs from 20 balls to help give the innings some substance as Aycliffe finished their allotted 20 overs on a respectable 107 for 4.
Photo: Aycliffe’s 2nd team players Harrison Pearson (on the left), who had career best bowling figures of 5 for 38 against Yarm, and team mate Ryan Patrick, who broke the club record with his five outfield catches in the same match.
