Whitby CC 1sts edged out by one wicket in thriller at Norton 2nds
Whitby Cricket Club 1sts were edged out by one wicket in a thrilling North Yorkshire South Durham League second division match at Norton 2nds on Saturday.
The hosts won the toss and put Whitby into bat, a decision that paid off early on as they reduced the visitors to 72-6.
Chris Knight sparkled with a stunning 82 from just 67 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes, forced to bat with the lower order to steer the visitors into contention with 194 all out.
Number 8 bat Ben Braim also chipped in with a handy 20 and number 9 bat Mark Jackson 15 as the away team refused to buckle, putting on 122 runs for the final four wickets.
George Slatcher bagged an excellent 6-63 for the home side.
In stark contrast Norton’s openers Harry Morton (52) and Aiden Chapman (34) got them off to a commanding start with a stand of 91, but the dismissal of Morton lbw by Alf Jacobs sparked a mini-collapse from 91-0 to 115-4, Jackson and Jacobs taking two wickets apiece.
Another slip from 135-4 to 145-7 looked to be steering the game in favour of Whitby, but Andrew Fowler (24) and Liam Simpson (18) boosted the hosts, but at 186-9 it once again looked like Whitby had a chance, only for the last-wicket pair of Slatcher (7no) and last-man Dan Symington (4no) to edge them to a victorious 195-9.
Whitby 1sts will play host to fourth-placed Marton 2nds this weekend.
Whitby CC 2nds dug deep for a draw at home to second-placed Newton Aycliffe in Division 3.
MIchael Thompson snapped up a stunning 6-63 as the visitors made it to 200-8, Darren Pritchard chipping in with 2-20.
In reply, Whitby lost both openers, Thompson (6) and Rikki Lawrence (15) cheaply as they slipped to 32-2.
Chris Clarkson (30) and Oliver Lane (18) got the home team back in contention at 95-3, but then wickets fell at regular intervals and Whitby had to hold on for a draw with 167-8, Kieran Purvis hitting 22, skipper Ricky Hall 14no, Jack Stentiford 11 and Pritchard 9no.
Ben Howard and Tom Dearden snapped up three wickets apiece for the visitors.
The 2nds head to Billingham Synthonia this coming Saturday.