Woodhouse Grange start season with superb league and cup wins
Woodhouse Grange CC 1sts started their Premier North campaign with a bang at Sandhill Lane as they blew away Sessay to win by nine wickets, then backed that up the following day with a breathless two-run victory over Doncaster Town in the ECB National Cup.
Sessay found pace men Tom Neal (5-16) and towering newcomer Zac Wilson (4-17) to hot to handle as they were shot out for 68. In reply Woodhouse cruised home inside 14 overs at 69-1, writes Phil Gilbank.
It was much tighter on Sunday. Woodhouse had to work hard for runs against keen fielding opponents and after 35 overs were 145-4.
But Lee Goddard and skipper Jonny Shepherdson cut loose as 70 runs came from the last 30 balls, Goddard, following on from his friendly century the previous weekend, accelerated imperiously to 98 before running himself out; and Shepherdson supported with a unbeaten 46 as the Grange posted 215-6.
Doncaster were always in touch as the advantage swung to one side then the other.
Spinners Rob Gainer and Jack Dyson shared five wickets, but it was two run-outs from the deep that won it for Woodhouse as Doncaster needed 15 from the last over but managed just 13 to end 213-7.
Woodhouse 2nds lost in the league on Saturday by five wickets at Carlton Towers, but annihilated East Harsley by 231 runs in the Village Cup on Sunday, Harry Jackson hitting his second century of the season - 124 from 91 balls in the Grange's 317-5.
Woodhouse 3rds lost by 13 runs to Crossgates in Div One; but the Grange 4ths beat York 4ths with 14-year-old Alex Collins steering them to a six-wicket win at 212-4 with his knock of 64 not out.
In the local derby in the new Premiership Two division, Londesborough Park came out on top with a 68-run success at Stamford Bridge.
Londesborough scored consistently to make 233 in 48 overs through Jack Cowling (56), Ollie Rook (38), Charlie Rook (35) and Lucas Stephenson (31).
Then Tom Sowersby torpedoed Stamford's top order with 5-29, and despite James Pick's battling innings of 77 to go with his three earlier wickets, Park bowled out the Bridge for 165.