'Colliery Crack'

[Spinbowler]

LEADERS Barnard Castle struck what could be a fatal blow to the heart of Blackhall’s title hopes with a crushing 97-run victory at Welfare Park to get the double up over Hall in just a week.
And Saturday’s disappointing showing has led skipper David Brown to book his team into the Priory for some serious attention when Hall travel to Fountains Garth to play the Priorymen of Guisborough.
But the manner of the loss to Barney will hurt proud skipper Brown, who won four trophies as captain last year.
Put in to bat by Brown, the canteen was opened early doors as James Sutton (75) and Richard Borrowdale feasted on some awful home fare as a mixture of buffet-bowling, consisting of half-volleys, long-hops and full tosses were summarily served up and dispatched in front of a large festival crowd – as the metronomic skills of seam bowler Brian Sullivan were sorely missed.
Borrowdale was in full flow and was unlucky to miss out on a deserved ton when he was caught down the legside by stand-in keeper Dan Routledge for 98.
All rounder Stephen Sargeant pulled things around with an excellent spell of bowling and his 4-71 could have been even better as a number of catches were spilled.
Barney’s final total of 265-5 was always a huge one to chase.
Wayne Birks didn’t last long and while a cameo innings of 30 from Matthew Little was welcome, it wasn’t substantial enough to help achieve an unlikely victory.
Young Neil Whitworth was starting to look back to his best while he searches for form following his return from injury, but he chased a wide one and went for 20.
And once Naeem Feroz went for an entertaining 45, Hall were now struggling to avoid back-to-back defeats.
But they couldn’t do that as skipper David Brown threw his wicket away and despite a swashbuckling 23 not out from Phil Bell, Hall were bowled out for 168 with four overs left.
The defeat leaves Hall in fifth place in the NYSD First Division, some 30 points behind leaders Barney but with a game in hand.
Next up for the Colliers is a trip to Guisborough on Saturday.
BARNARD CASTLE: T Sparrow c Routledge b Ward 0, J Sutton b Sargeant 74, R Borrowdale c Routledge b Sargeant 98, D Coates c P Bell b Sargeant 12, J Quinn c and b Sargeant 25, G Hutchinson not out 14, J Hesp not out 25. Extras 17. Total (for 5 wickets) 265. Bowling: JRT Ward 1-39, NOP Whitworth 0-29, CK Bell 0-34, MW Bell 0-32, SC Sargeant 4-71, WRD Birks 0-53.
BLACKHALL: NJ Feroz c Sutton b Hutchinson 45, WRD Birks b D Stanwix 5, MMB Little c Quinn b Hutchinson 30, NOP Whitworth c Hesp b J Stanwix 20, SC Sargeant c Hutchinson b Toulson 17, CK Bell c Hutchinson b J Stanwix 4, D Routledge b J Stanwix 0, JRT Ward c Borrowdale b Hutchinson 0, DG Brown c Sparrow b J Stanwix 13, PH Bell not out 23, MW Bell c Sutton b Hutchinson 0. Extras 11, Total (all out) 168. Bowling: DWD Stanwix 1-34, A Toulson 1-35, G Hutchinson 4-40, J Sutton 0-18, J Stanwix 4-33.
Blackhall (five points) lost to Barnard Castle (20 points) by 98 runs.
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