Exhall do their job (From Redditch Advertiser)

Exhall do their job

2:17pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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ON a day when it was imperative that Exhall overcame unbeaten Cotswold Hills Premier League leaders Kineton to achieve parity at the head of the table, they duly obliged, They comprehensively outplayed their visitors and won in some style and comfort by eight wickets with almost four overs remaining.

Kineton were asked to bat on a fast, dry track and openers Gary Maynard and Nick Briggs moved on to 60 before Jon Simpson broke the partnership when he had Maynard caught by Tom Burnett for 31.

This was to prove the largest stand of the innings as Steve Keen embarked upon a remarkable spell of 10 overs for just 21 runs and three wickets, including that of the prolific New Zealander Nick Johnston for nought.

He was ably supported by Chris Prescott, whose hostility and genuine pace disturbed all the batsmen and he finished with 3 for 37, as Kineton were restricted to 200 for 9 in their 45 overs.

After tea, openers Matt Gwynn and Tom Burnett began in exhilarating fashion and dominated the visitors attack to the tune of five runs per over to achieve a match winning platform in a partnership of 131.

Gwynn then came down the wicket in flamboyant style to be stumped by wicket keeper Johnston off Brian Weston for an excellent 52.

Tom Burnett followed five runs later to the same bowler for 68.

The dismissal of both openers so quickly might have signalled a problem but Scott Carmichael and Simon Hollands silenced the chirpiness of the fielding side in an unbroken stand of 65 that saw Exhall home by 8 wickets, with the keeper on 36 and the skipper on 22.

Both teams are now equal at the head of the table and the title is no longer the province of one side.

Cookhill defeated second placed Woodbourne by seven wickets in division three after a superb all round team performance.

Playing their first game since the sudden death of last years player of the season Tom Jones, the players all wore black armbands as a mark of respect.

Nick Charles won the toss and put the hosts into bat.

All the bowlers took wickets but Andy Fennell was the star with the ball taking 4 for 18 off 10 overs and Woodbourne finished on 136 for 9.

In reply, Simon Rowberry and Nick Charles got amongst the runs but it was Billy Harris who saw the men from the ridgeway reach their target with a chanceless 72 not out.

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