Opener Rikki Lawrence hits superb 87 as Whitby CC 2nds earn win at Hartlepool 2nds
Opener Rikki Lawrence’s sparkling 87 helped Whitby CC 2nds earn a seven-wicket Division 3 win at Hartlepool 2nds in the North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League on Saturday.
Visiting skipper Ricky Hall won the toss and elected to field, and this reaped early rewards as Pool were reduced to 29-2, Oliver Lane and Jack Clarkson taking a wicket apiece.
William Boyd (48) and David McAllister (28) steadied the ship for the home side, Preet Patel (2-38) then dismissed both set batsmen as Pool slipped from 108-2 to 117-4.
Hall also snapped up 2-35 as Hartlepool ended on 206-6.
Chris Clarkson (23) and Rikki Lawrence put on 33 for the first wicket, and the keeper-batsman then took charge with an excellent innings of 87 from 1-01 balls, including 13 deliveries, sharing a second-wicket stand of 77 with Hall (33), followed by a 91-run partnership for the third wicket with Lane (37no).
Lawrence was dismissed with only six runs needed to win, Lane steering the visitors to 207-3 in 35.5 overs.
The 2nds entertain third-placed Yarm this Saturday.
The Whitby first team suffered an agonising five-run loss at home to Division 2 title-chasers Saltburn, despite a brilliant six-wicket haul from skipper Tom Steyert.
The visitors slumped to 58-7 as Steyert ripped the heart out of their batting order with stunning figures of 6-32 in 13.4 overs, Michael Thompson offering great support with a very accurate 3-18 in 12 overs.
Whitby allowed the tail-enders to steer Saltburn to 137 all out, mainly due to number 9 bat Fred Nicholls hitting 45no, and these runs turned out to be very costly.
Alfie Jacobs struck 34 as the hosts made their way to to 103-4, and they looked to be cruising to victory but Whitby lost two wickets in two balls from George Allamby, Steyert (12) and Lewis Brearley for a golden duck, to slip to 103-5 and then crucially lost Andrew Wood (22) without adding a run.
Jack Allanson (13no) and Thompson (11) tried their best to edge Whitby home but their collapse saw them dismissed for 132 in 33.1 overs.
Whitby head to basement club Northallerton this Saturday.
Whitby 3rds slipped to a rapid 10-wicket loss at Great Ayton 3rds in the Sunday Conference South after being skittled for just 64 runs.
The 3rds host Marton 4ths this Sunday.