Wiltshire CCC make it back to back wins in NCCA 50 Over Trophy

Wales NC – NCCA Trophy XI v Wiltshire CCC – NCCA Trophy XI

Pontarddulais CC

Sunday 2^nd June 2024

On a glorious Summer’s day Wales won the toss and had no hesitation in deciding to bat first. However, Wadworth Man of the Match, Will Naish ( 3 for 21) soon had them regretting that decision as he took 3 wickets in reducing Wales to 30 for 5 after just 10.2 overs. Harry Broderick joined the party as he bowled opener Morgan Bevans. Jack Mynott came on the scene in spectacular fashion as he threw in from the boundary with pinpoint accuracy and Ben Draper took the bails off to remove the dangerous player coach of Wales, Brad Wadlan for just 1.  At this point Ayres 42 joined his skipper Cam Herring 92 and they had a partnership of  86 before Ayres was adjudged lbw to Archie Fairfax-Ross – 116 for 6.  Herring pushed the score on to a respectable 173 before he fell agonisingly short of his century on 92. Wiltshire skipper Ed Young had resisted bowling until the 46^th over, but he bowled Herring with his second delivery. Wiltshire were keen to keep the Wales total below 200 and Harry Broderick ( 3 for 40) picked up the wickets of Sylvester and Morris to leave Wales all out for 184 with 11 balls remaining. The enthusiastic Wiltshire fielding helped to keep the score down, but it brought a leg injury for Josh Kelly as he collided with a teammate in going for a catch in the deep.

In reply Wiltshire avoided the disastrous start experienced by Wales although they still lost early wickets as Moses (3 for 41) and Morris (2 for 40) saw Wiltshire fall to 78 for 4 (Mynott 38). This brought together a matchwinning partnership of 91 between South Wilts teammates Ben Draper 60 and Archie Fairfax-Ross 45 not out as the score rose to 169 for 5.  Josh Kelly came out to bat, but his injury was causing him too much trouble and he was obliged to retire hurt having scored 2 from just 3 balls faced. With scores level on 184 for 5 the Wiltshire batters contrived to keep the supporters on the edge of their seats as two more wickets fell before Archie Fairfax-Ross took the single that brought victory – 185 for 7 with 28 balls to spare.

That makes Wiltshire now with 2 wins out of 2 and looking forward to the next challenge - Dorset at Warminster on 16^th June,  always a keenly fought contest.

Wiltshire CCC beat Wales by 3 wickets

*Many thanks to Roy Honeybone for providing the photos and match reports