Burton crash to home defeat by Thornton
Burton Leonard 1st XI lost to Bishop Thornton by 43 runs on Saturday. It was a disappointing result and Burton will feel they let themselves down.
On the hottest Saturday of the year so far, skipper Neil Blaken, returning from a week’s absence won the toss and elected to bowl. On a humid day when the ball was likely to swing, it was not such a surprising choice; but it meant 3 sticky hours in the hot sun for the Burton fielders.
With Rob ‘Muzza’ Murray nursing a sore back, Neil Blaken stood in to take the new ball with regular opening bowler Ali Wilson. While Wilson bowled with his usual determination at the pavilion end, Blaken struggled to find his normally immaculate line and length.
The Bishop Thornton openers started slowly, but soon built up an appetite for some powerful drives, puncturing the extra cover area with increasing regularity. Matters were not helped when the seam split on the new ball after only 8 overs. After much rummaging in the changing room, a replacement was found into the darker recesses of Leigh Parsons’ bag.
Drinks at 15 overs brought new luck to Burton. Chris ‘Cookie’ Parker, who had replaced Blaken at the scorebox end, first managed to stem the flow of runs, but then swing one through Bell’s gate and bowled him for 23. A few overs later came the champagne moment, when Leigh Parson executed a brilliant leg-side stumping to remove the dangerous Paul Sowray.
Meanwhile, last week’s bowling hero Dan Thirkell had replaced Ali Wilson at the pavilion end. Leigh Parsons was given plenty of work to do as Dan Thirkell mixed things up, with his stock ball being the inswinger down legside. But Bishop Thornton were still finding runs hard to come by.
Rob Murray managed a couple of overs at half speed - and half length. Alas the long hops were too much for Will Wray, the Thornton captain, and he chipped to Carrass at square leg. Thrikell then managed to get one straight to remove Peter Sowray.
The Thornton Kiwi knuckled down and proceeded to graft his way carefully to 46, supported by the Thornton lower order, and the innings finished at 186-8 - a score which Burton felt was well short of par on this decent track with its fast outfield.
After a sumptuous tea, it was Burton’s turn to bat. Instead of striking his first ball for 6 as usual , Craig Eustace offered some catching practice to first slip, who declined to hold on. After a couple of lusty blows, Craig Eustace was judged LBW and Burton were 29-1.
After Neil Blaken nicked his first ball to the keeper, and Michael Wray followed in similar fashion a couple of overs later, Burton were in a bit of trouble at 48-3. And now Thornton brought on their dangerous leg spinner, Armstrong.
Mike Crawshaw and Dan Thirkell steaded the ship, and started to build a good partnership. The Thornton heads dropped as the watching crowd were entertained with the best strokeplay of the game. Nearing a 100 off only 25, Burton were looking in good shape. But the second legside stumping of the day saw the end of Dan Thirkell.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and when Mike Crawshaw was caught in the deep, the writing was on the walls.
A spirited batting display by the Burton last three - Neil Carass, Ali Wilson and Rob Murray - salvaged an unlikely point as the innings closed on 142-9.
Next week Burton Leonard 1st XI play at Blubberhouses where they will be hoping to emulate their 8-wicket win of last year.