by Ryan Esson



Eastwood first XI caused arguably the biggest upset of the entire South Nottinghamshire League last Saturday after a fantastic winning draw away against high-flying Southwell.

On a sunny day at Sookholme, Eastwood were asked to bat first by Southwell.

Their plan looked to be working early on as Ejaz Ahmed edged a rising ball to Whelan at first slip in the seventh over.

But Eastwood had other ideas, with Shaun Stocks and Steven Leese batting positively against the Southwell bowling attack. The pair batted well, scoring 33 and 42 respectively, helping to steer Eastwood past the 100 mark inside the 23rd over.

Steve Wright helped to bring Southwell back into the match, claiming six middle order wickets as Eastwood stumbled to 161 for 7 with just a handful of overs left, with only Imran Azam looking comfortable at all scoring 35 runs.

However, Eastwood captain Neil Gregory stopped the rot with some big hitting late in the Eastwood innings, finishing 45 not out as Eastwood ended their 48 overs 222-8. Wright finished with superb bowling figures of 6 for 73.

Southwell began their reponse in a similar fashion to Eastwood, losing their first wicket in the seventh over.

However the rest of their run chase was based on someone dropping anchor rather than several decent scores as happened with Eastwood.

That man was Tim Green, who scored a patient 71 before being bowled by Luke Elderkin as early wickets fell at the other end.

He perhaps batted a little too patiently, as it took him 39 overs to score his runs. Southwell needed an unlikely 82 more from just nine overs to secure victory.

To Southwell’s credit they made a valiant attempt to try and claim the victory, mainly thanks to Stuart Grimley who hit a rapid 34.However wickets fell at regular intervals and Southwell finished 24 short of their target on 199 for 8.

Four Eastwood bowlers, Ul-Haq, Elderkin, Logden and Summers claimed two wickets apiece.

Eastwood travel to Gedling Colliery this Saturday before hosting a Popkiss Cup tie with Loughborough Carillion on Sunday.

Seconds win again

Eastwood’s second XI made it five wins a row in Division F as they secured an impressive eight-wicket victory over Oxton last Saturday.

They didn’t have it all their own way as Oxton’s opening partnership of Ricky Martin and James Crudington put on 66 for the first wicket.

With the experienced Mike Berry at the crease with Crudgington it was never going to be easy and Crudington looked to press on, passing his half-century with a crunching four through the covers, but then Eastwood got a vital breakthrough with captain Mark Smith bowling Crudington with a deceiving slower ball.

The Oxton batsmen, with the exception of Berry, seemed to show very little resistance as they scored only 27 runs between them.

Berry was dismissed for 42 with little more than an over left trying to hit the ball out of the ground.