First XI home to Charlton Kings

An Apperley team missing many players won the toss and batted first. With Adi Mayes out injured it was Elliot Hayward, often found at the other end of the order, who opened the batting with captain Matty Williams. First the skipper and then Hayward fell as Apperley were reduced to 36-2.

A great partnership from Tom Radcliffe and Matt Long got us to 132 before Long was bowled for 51. Sadly Radcliffe had to retire hurt from a pulled hamstring. He came out to bat again when 9 wickets had fallen but in his hampered and limping state, which encapsulated the state of the team in general at the moment, was unable to add many more. He ended up the last man out, top scoring with 68 as a hampered Apperley could only limp to 187 all out in 47.5 overs with the rest of the team unable to make a significant mark.

Despite the return of opening bowler James Nicol, he could only play as a batsman, still dogged by injury. His usual partner in crime with the new ball, our skipper Dave Means was also still out with his injury. In their absence Elliot Hayward (2-32) and Lloyd Griffiths (0-38) bowled really well keeping it tight on a now turning wicket. However some dogged batting from the Charlton Kings top order were able to get them over the line with eight wickets remaining.

Onto next week

Second XI away at Chedworth

A heavily depleted Apperley 2nd XI made the trip to the scenic location of Chedworth CC where Apperley lost the toss and were inserted on what turned out to be another slow and low away wicket.

The opening partnership of Dave Steinham and Steve Best played watchfully against the new ball, and built runs steadily in an opening stand of 89 before Steinham was out for 37 caught at extra cover.

Tom Hayward joined Best at the crease and this coincided with ‘Besty’ in particular putting his foot down on the accelerator to increase the scoring rate, with several straight 6’s over an, albeit, short boundary. The two shared in a 64 run partnership before Hayward was bowled for 22.

There followed a clatter of wickets during the last 8 overs of the innings in a chase to pile up as many runs as possible with Besty finally falling for a superb 95, caught on the boundary just a couple of feet short of bringing up his 100 with another maximum.

Apperley eventually finished on 214-8 with 3 wickets falling (all bowled!) off the last 4 balls of in the innings.

In reply, Chedworth looked to attack from the off but captain Steinham rolled back the years to rip out the top order and take 4 for 20 from 8 and leave Chedworth reeling at 57-4. Hayward and Marcus Ridal proceeded to both bowl tight spells, whilst claiming a wicket apiece, to keep the pressure on the ‘Ched’ middle order as they tried to rebuild.

14 year old Max Freeth-Selway, on his 2nd XI league debut, also got in on the action bowling incredibly well under pressure to keep the Chedworth batters in check as they looked to accelerate. Sam Page, another debutant, did a similar job at the other end as Chedworth never really threatened to get close to winning at any stage.

Indeed their one opening bat batted through the entire innings finishing on just 71* showing just how well Apperley had bowled as a team to restrict the scoring rate so much. In the end, Chedworth finished 21 runs short after their 40 overs as Apperley secured one of their finest wins in many a year considering just how depleted an XI it was that took the field.

The victory carries on their great start to the season with five wins from the last five and keeps them in second place in the table, behind Quedgeley & Hardwicke, who sit pretty at the top with a 100% record.