Allscott Cricket Club

Allscott 1st Eleven clinch promotion in style

League Statisticians will be reaching for Record books on Monday morning as the 1st eleven clinched promotion yesterday in a record breaking performance. Needing 15pts from the game to ensure the league title came to Allscott for the first time since 1991 the captain Chris "Twink" Starling lost the toss and the team were asked to Bat first on a damp, but drying wicket. The openers, Carl Starling and Jason Allen made light work of the conditions and proceeded to set about the Acton Reynald bowling attack. Jason Allen being the more aggressive getting the inning off to a flying start scoring 81 out of an opening partnership of 147 in just 18 overs. Carl Starling, at this point was joined by Ben Waters. The pair pushed on and the Reynald captain must have regretted asking Allscott to have first use of the track. When Carl reached 83 he hit a personal milestone of 1000 runs for the season, a feat not achieved at the club since Mike Whitney in the early 80,s. This was the trigger for Starling to relax and enjoy the rest of his innings. Understatement or what? His 100 came up in 112 balls, his 200 came up just 34 balls later. He eventually finished unbeaten on 236 in 151 balls including 17 sixes and 21 fours. A league record individual score for Div 1. Ben Waters at the other end did not let the bowlers settle either and he was eventually out with just 3 balls left of the innings. Attempting to hit a boundary to secure his first 100 of the season, sadly agonisingly, falling just four short on 96. the 2nd wicket partnership ending at 302. yet another record for the club. The Allscott innings closing on 449 for three from 45 overs. We believe this is a league record for the Shropshire Cricket League.



It was never going to be easy and although Reynald battled hard, the miserly Allscott bowling attack restricted the Reynald batsmen, bowling a sucession of tight overs at the top of the innings in an attempt to secure the maximum draw points required to ensure the title was ours. Ian Pollard picked up the two wickets he needed to reach 50 wickets for the season. Chris Starling took 3 for 27 in the middle of the innings from 10 overs to restrict the batsmen's progress even further. The only Reynald batsmen to profit was opener Tony Elliott who was finally out in the 35th over for 75. Their innings finishing on 133 for 6 in the alloted 45 overs.

We now look forward to pitting our wits against the teams in the Shopshire Premier League next year.