Ambergate first XI 148 all out (five points) lost to Wirksworth & Middleton first XI 160-7 (27 points)

by 12 runs.

WITH two overs to go in this fluctuating game all four outcomes were possible and with both teams desperate for points (albeit with rather different ambitions) it made for an exciting finish.

Batting first, W&M had reached 132-3, but with 13 overs remaining they will have been disappointed not to make more of them.

Opener Paul Thompson scored 21 and Richard Hosein 22 with useful contributions as well from James Thompson and Neil Taylor.

Leading the way again with the bat was Upul Indrasiri with 55.

For Ambergate, promising youngster Rouse took 3-11.

W&M’s opening bowlers then tore into Ambergate’s top order to great effect reducing them to a dismal 42-5 before a partnership of 60 brought the home side back into it again.

Tom Holmes top scored with 62 and the experienced Mark Heath made 23.

Charlotte Horton returned season best figures of 4-41, Stephen Lowe had 3-46 and a mention too for Dan Nolan, whose eight overs of off spin cost just 26 runs.

Indrasiri completed a good all round performance by taking 2-34 including, near the end, a brilliant caught and bowled.

It is now five unbeaten games for the firsts including maximum points wins in successive matches.

Whether they can avoid finishing in the bottom three remains to be seen but these performances must be encouraging.

Division 6N

Wirksworth & Middleton second XI 123-4 (8 points) v Chesterfield third XI

227-4 (12 points).

Match abandoned.

WHEN the rain arrived to finish this one off Wirksworth & Middleton had recovered from a perilous position to one from which they were, at least, unlikely to lose.

Along with a couple of decent knocks Chesterfield’s total was dominated by 14-year-old Matt Fletcher’s unbeaten 93.

Having survived a confident appeal for a catch behind early on (in a match without official umpires!) he looked a fine young player.

For the seconds Liam Murphy bowled without any luck at all, Max Marshall took 1-34 and the promising Andy Wood 2-31.

In reply W&M made a confident start as Tom Boylan with 21 and Colin Nadin,18, put on an opening stand of 45 at four an over.

Boylan, especially, looked in fine touch before he was needlessly run out.

Suddenly, though, four wickets fell for just 12 runs and at 57-4 W&M were in trouble.

Thereafter Jack Ritchie with 21 not out and Wood, 31 not out, put on an unbroken 62.

With 13 overs remaining when the game was halted it is doubtful whether W&M could have won it but it was a decent effort from the players.