Bridlington CC face battle to stay in Premier Division 2
Bridlington CC 1sts face a battle to stay in the YPLN Premier Division 2 after suffering a narrow three-wicket defeat at relegation rivals Acomb on Saturday.
Casey Rudd’s team have six games left to play, and are 11th in the 12-team league table, with the bottom three teams being relegated. They are currently eight points behind third-from-bottom Londesborough Park and Easingwold, so Brid need to start winning to put pressure on these teams.
This Saturday Brid are at home to seventh-placed Harrogate 2nds, and a win could kick-start their battle to beat the drop.
Rudd’s team put in a great effort at Acomb last weekend, the captain leading by example with the bat, with a top score of 53 as opener after having won the toss and choosing to bat first.
Sam Wragg and Rudd made a flying start with a stand of 83 for the first wicket from only 10.5 overs, which was broken by the dismissal of Wragg for 30 in 27 balls, Rudd soon following for 53 from 55 deliveries, including nine fours and a six.
Calum Hatton (38) and Harvey Dixon (20) then worked hard to get Brid to a strong total, leading them to 152-3, but they slipped to 155-5.
Despite the best efforts of Freddie Gunning (26) they lost their final five wickets for 24 runs – Monty Dodsworth mopping up the tail to finish with incredible figures of 7-73, ending up on 212 all out from 41.2 overs.
Brid started well with the ball as opening bowlers Rudd (1-61 in 13 overs) and Hatton (2-57 in 13 overs), along with first-change Tom Norman (1-29 in four overs), reduced the home side to 66-4.
But Acomb opener Charlie Gray dug deep as the hosts battled back with a fifth-wicket stand of 113 between him and Aidan Burton (38 in 64 balls), and by the time the latter was dismissed leg-before by Jamie Artley the game had swung in favour of Acomb at 179-5.
Ben Traves captured the wicket of Will White to give the visitors hope at 187-6, and when Gray’s excellent 110 from 100 balls was finally ended by Traves (2-26 in 5.5 overs) there seemed to be renewed hope of a late fightback for Brid, but the home team’s bowling star Dodsworth steadied their nerves as he hit 12no and Oliver Oaten 5no to take them to 213-7 in 42.5 overs.
Brid showed plenty of promise in this match and will want to take that into Saturday’s crucial game at Dukes Park against Harrogate 2nds.