WALKHAM Valley entertained the Fortescue Arms Cricket Club from Mutley Plain. Walkham got off to a steady start with a new opening partnership of Rich Berry and Tim Baxter. Both found runs difficult to come by as Fortescue bowlers kept a pretty disciplined line and fielded very sharply. However, the pair ground out a partnership of 54 before Baxter fell to Davies for 11 trying to up the tempo. There was not much let up in the pressure from Fortesecue, and Rich Berry played his now accustomed anchor role as a couple of wickets fell cheaply, eventually retiring 30 not out including five boundaries. Fidler, Smith and Davies kept the screws on, though a brief flurry from James Vincent (11) seemed to bring some relief as Holding and Holden began the final ten overs. It was a false dawn, however, as Holding tied down one end with hostile accurate bowling, conceding only 4 runs in 4 overs, forcing a series of batsmen to try to exploit the crafty Holden, to their cost. A late rally by Sandy Ralph (15 no) saw the score creep above 100 before he ran out of partners and overs. Holden finished with figures of 5 for 19 and Holding 2 for 14 in Walkham?s total of 109. Fortescue?s innings got off to a brisk start against some erratic early overs, but the Walkham bowlers eventually found some rhythm and were buoyed by an excellent diving catch from Mike Kierney to dismiss White off James Vincent. James Hills, back to form with the ball, accounted for Ashton and then James Vincent clean bowled Browning and Podmore in successive balls. When the adhesive Smith departed, bowled by Rich Berry after surviving some close chances, things were looking rosier for the home side with the visitors on 52 for 5. In came Holding to restore the situation with a partnership of 36 with Lukehurst (19), mostly taken in singles against some energetic and enthusiastic fielding. Lukehurst fell to a catch from James Hills off Tim Baxter and Holding eventually perished caught by James Vincent off Sandy Ralph for 27. But the job had been done by then, and Davies and Fidler saw the visitors home with 4 overs to spare. James Vincent returned 3 for 25, Hills 1 for 7, Baxter 1 for 17, R Berry 1 for 26 and Sandy Ralph 1 for 12. So, what had been a very competitive game of cricket with both sides scoring only 10 boundaries, in the end was decided on Fortescue?s experience, patience and their ability to find the gaps in the field and pick up the singles.
