Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club’s 1st team, sponsored by Franks the Flooring Store, suffered their fifth straight league defeat after being well beaten by 104 runs at home to Maltby 1st XI in the NYSD 2nd division. Aycliffe elected to bowl first and the visitors quickly piled up the runs reaching 177 for 3. However, the introduction of spin bowler Matty Greaves (sponsored by Britannia Fire) into the attack had the desired effect as the visitors previously solid batting, quickly began to crumble with the youngster finishing his 10 over spell with career best figures of 5 for 53. Luke Telford (2 for 18) also bowled well as Maltby lost their last seven wickets for just 53 runs and were eventually dismissed for 230 after 39.2 overs. In reply, Aycliffe batted poorly and were bowled out for just 126 after 30.1 overs with only Matty Greaves (26 off 39 balls), Sean Morgan (26 off 30 balls), Luke Telford (17 off 15 balls) and George Slatcher (16 off 18 balls) reaching double figures.
The second team were also well beaten, away at a very experienced Guisborough 2nd XI, who currently sit in 2nd place in the NYSD 4th division table. Captain Dan Weldon elected to bat first, but his side were bowled out for just 95 after 25 overs, despite an excellent senior career best score of 37 from 41 balls by 15 year old Harrison Pearson (sponsored by Ian Hatty Hannant) and 14 runs off 31 balls by opener Dan Bowmer. When the homeside replied, all the Aycliffe bowlers worked very hard in the sweltering conditions and made the homeside fight for every run. Leo Mercy (1 for 19) and Dan Weldon (1 for 35) were the most successful bowlers, but they couldn’t stop promotion chasing Guisborough from reaching their winning target after 22.1 overs and for the loss of only two wickets.
The club’s u11’s put in a tremendous performance to beat Wolviston at home by 37 runs in the semi-final of the NYACC Plate competition. Jack Collingwood (2 for 4) and Joey Hayman (2 for 5) were the pick of the Aycliffe bowling attack and, when Aycliffe batted, Miles Telford top scored with his highest ever score of 24 not out off just 17 balls and Joey Hayman also batted well hitting a typically robust 19 runs from 13 balls.
This week marked the end of our 2022 All Stars Programme after an absence of two years due to Covid and it was great to have around fifty 5-8 year olds gaining their first experiences of cricket. A big thank you to all of our brilliant volunteers who helped to run the weekly sessions over the past eight weeks and we look forward to seeing our talented young All Stars flourish over the next few years.
Photo of many of the ‘cricket mad’ youngsters who took part in the All Stars sessions at Newton Aycliffe CC.