'Colliery Crack'

[Spinbowler]

BLACKHALL had a mixed weekend with a superb win over Billingham Synthonia on Saturday and a sound thrashing at Great Ayton yesterday.
Hall’s South African professional Warren Swan chalked up his third ton of the season against Synners at Welfare Park, taking his aggregate total to over 500 for the campaign.
Backed up by Tony Booth, John Darby and Masood Mirza, Hall wracked up an impressive 214 for 3, with Swan notching his hundred from 137 balls with 10 4s and two 6s.
In reply, Synners managed to manoeuvre themselves into a winning position thanks to Nisil Randika and Keith Hewson.
But the game turned when Hewson was bowled by Stephen Sargeant and Randika was run out by a brilliant piece of fielding from David Brown.
With the pressure now back on the visiting batsmen, they wilted in the face of good bowling from Luke Cushlow and Mirza as Hall registered their first win of the season.
Hall then went into yesterday’s game at Great Ayton looking to build on that first win – but they were steamrollered by the enormous figure of Riaz Afridi.
The Pakistani, who starred in the recent ndian Cricket League – the rebel version of the Indian Premier League – was at his majestic all-round best, hammering 78 and then taking six wickets in a devastating spell of fast bowling.
Ian West chipped in with four wickets as Hall were routed for just 75 – well short of their required target of 186.
Mirza had earlier starred with the ball, taking 4-50 and he was well supported by Cushlow and Jack Ward.
Hall are back in action on Thursday, when they travel to Darlington in the quarter-final of the Kerridge Cup.
BLACKHALL: WC Swan b Atkinson 103, JI Darby b Randika 36, AP Booth b Cull 20, M Mirza not out 34, A Gray not out 2. Extras 19, Total 214 for 3.
Bowling: C Atkinson 9-1-35-1, K Hewson 2-0-14-0, C Symington 9-1-36-0, N Randika 17-3-79-1, M Cull 13-1-42-1.
BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA: D Nowell c Swan b L Cushlow 0, S Percival b Ward 13, N Randika run out 73, D Fairley b Mirza 0, C Symington c Swan b Ward 1, K Hewson b Sargeant 36, S Driver b Mirza 3, J Wiggan b L Cushlow 3, G Burgum lbw Mirza 3, C Atkinson c Swan b Cushlow 0, M Cull not out 0. Extras 27, Total 159 all out.
Bowling: L Cushlow 8-4-15-3, M Mirza 22.5-2-52-3, WC Swan 1-0-9-0, J Ward 7-1-37-2, M Cushlow 3-0-20-0, S Sargeant 5-1-21-1.
Blackhall (20 points) beat Billingham Synthonia (four) by 55 runs.
GREAT AYTON: C Batchelor lbw L Cushlow 21, S Pennock b Mirza 6, J Russell b Mirza 6, D Grainge c Ward b L Cushlow 13, R Afridi lbw Mirza 78, A Doyle c Swan b L Cushlow 3, C Murray b Mirza 7, T Crown st Booth b Ward 14, J Linton not out 10, T Waters c Bell b Ward 0, I West not out 0. Extras 28, Total 186 for 9.
Bowling: L Cushlow 18-3-69-3, J Ward 11-2-39-2, M Mirza 20-6-52-4.
BLACKHALL: WC Swan c Doyle b West 23, JI Draby c Grainge b Afridi 0, AP Booth c Russell b Afridi 14, M Mirza b Afridi 16, S Sargeant b Afridi 0, PW Moss c Murray b West 5, DG Brown b Afridi 0, P Bell c Doyle b West 6, J Ward b Afridi 1, MJ Cushlow not out 0, L Cushlow b West 0. Extras 10, Total 75 all out.
Bowling: R Afridi 12-3-43-6, I West 11.3-3-24-4, A Doyle 1-0-1-0.
Great Ayton (20 points) beat Blackhall (four) by 111 runs.
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