Whitby CC 2nds claim winning draw at home to Stokesley 2nds

Visiting skipper Joe Burniston won the toss and chose to bowl first, and this seemed to pay off early on as they reduced the Turnbull Ground side to 57-3.

Opener Rikki Lawrence held the innings together for the home side, scoring 58 from 66 deliveries, including nine fours.

The departure of Lawrence saw Whitby slip to 118-6, then a 61-run stand for the seventh wicket between Joe Crowther and Jay Allison got the home side back on track.

Allison departed for 20 and then Crowther’s rapid innings, coming from just 43 balls and including 11 fours, also fell, both to star bowler Oliver Gilbank, whose 5-42 helped limit Whitby to 206-9 from their 40 overs.

Opening bowlers Matthew Sharpe and Jack Allanson roared into action with impressive spells to send the visiting team crashing to 64-6, Sharpe claiming 4-32 in 10 overs and Allanson 2-40 in six overs as Whitby looked to be easing to victory.

Stokesley then battled back with a 94-run seventh-wicket stand between Cai Evans (77) and Burniston, who effectively saved his team from defeat with a determined 25 not from 71 deliveries as the away team ended on 158-7.

Whitby 2nds play host to Guisborough 2nds on Saturday afternoon.

Whitby CC’s first team lost by 56 runs despite a battling effort on the road at Middlesbrough 2nds.

Spinner Mark Jackson bagged 5-81 and skipper Kai Morris 3-51 but the home side piled on the runs with 282-8 in 50 overs, Aleem Ditta hitting an impressive 102.

Several Whitby batsmen made solid starts in reply but no-one really pushed on for a big score that would give them hope of victory as they were dismissed for 226 but with 10.5 overs to spare.

Andy Wood hit 43, opening batsman Chris Knight 32, captain Morris 31, Lewis Brearley 25 and Michael Thompson 22, but they needed more help from their teammates.

Whitby will look to return to winning ways at Stockton 2nds this coming Saturday.