Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club’s 1st team, sponsored by Franks the Flooring Store, lost by 19 runs at home to top of the table Blackhall 1st XI in the NYSD 2nd division. The visitors were asked to bat first and despite some lengthy breaks in play due to rain, they managed to score a huge 253 all out after 47.2 overs, despite some excellent bowling in the awful conditions by James Layfield-Carroll (4 for 49), Michael Howe (4 for 60) and Sean Morgan (2 for 39). In reply, Aycliffe’s victory target was set by the Duckworth-Lewis equation at 160 runs from 27 overs. Opener Joe Haines (sponsored by Eileen Quinn) led the way, carrying his bat with a seasonal best score of 53 not out from 74 balls faced and his well paced innings contained seven boundaries. Jack Slatcher also batted well scoring 29 off 25 balls and Adam Gittins chipped in with 20 from 34 balls as Aycliffe’s gallant run chase fell just 20 runs short on 140 for 6 from 27 overs at the close of play. Match Sponsored by Unison.
Our young second team put in a superb away performance against their more experienced counterparts from Billingham Synthonia, but still lost by just two wickets in their NYSD division clash. After being asked to bat first, Aycliffe struggled to get any momentum in their innings and were eventually bowled out for 121 after 38.2 overs. However, they were thankful for some good performances by Matty French (20 runs), Ryan Patrick (17 runs) and Dylan Tribley (16 runs) for giving their innings some substance. In reply, the homeside looked like they were coasting to victory at 90 for 4, but the introduction of 12 year old Will Dearden (3 for 17) and 13 year old Harrison Pearson (1 for 24) sent Billingham into a panic as they stumbled to 103 for 8. However, the homeside made it over the line in a tense finale to reach their victory target of 122 after 25.4 overs and without the loss of any more wickets.
The u15’s lost a close game by just five runs away at Norton in the NYACC league. The homeside chose to bat first and scored 91 for 3 in their allotted 20 overs with captain Owen Smith taking two wickets for 13 runs for Aycliffe. Special mention must go to Allisha Taylor who was making her debut in the u15’s and she fielded superbly for the team. In reply, Adam Shaw (30 runs off 35 balls) and Harrison Pearson (25 runs off 41 balls) put on 61 runs for the third wicket taking Aycliffe to a well placed 71 for 3. However, the visitors then collapsed, losing the next six wickets for only 15 runs as they were restricted to 86 for 9 in their 20 overs, just six runs short of victory.
The u11’s team lost heavily at home to a very strong Richmond u11’s in the semi-final of the NYACC League cup but the team still performed well on the day.
