Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club’s 1st team, sponsored by Franks the Flooring Store, suffered a three wicket defeat in a very close game at home to Middlesbrough 2nd XI in the NYSD 2nd division. Aycliffe elected to bat first and got off to a bad start when both openers were dismissed without scoring. Joe Teasdale led the fightback when he top scored with an excellent 64 off 73 balls and his innings included seven boundaries and four sixes. James Layfield-Carroll (sponsored by Yvonne and Bob Wood) also batted well scoring a career best 41 off just 28 balls, including eight well struck boundaries, and Sean Morgan also contributed with 35 runs off 35 balls as Aycliffe totalled 255 all out with just one ball of their allotted 50 overs remaining. In reply, the visitors looked to be coasting to a comfortable victory as they reached 219 for 1, however Aycliffe fought back well taking six wickets for 33 runs. James Layfield-Carroll completed a fine individual performance taking 5 for 53 and George Slatcher took 2 for 54, but it wasn’t quite enough as Middlesbrough crawled over the winning line, finishing on 259 for 7 with just 10 balls of the match remaining.
The U17’s lost by 38 runs away at Richmond in the NYSD Junior League. The homeside chose to bat first and scored 164 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs. In reply, Aycliffe made a brave attempt at chasing down the challenging target and reached 126 for 6 from their 20 overs despite some excellent batting by Ramzan Hussain (39 off 24 balls), Leon Patel (25 off 27 balls) and Leo Mercy (22 off 35 balls).
The U15’s had a comfortable win by 59 runs away at Darlington in the NYACC League. Aycliffe posted an impregnable 162 for 3 from their 20 overs thanks to captain Tom Dearden’s fifth U15’s half century of the season and his runs aggregate so far at this level is now 320, which is a new U15’s club record for runs in a season. Adam Shaw also batted well scoring an unbeaten 35 and Dan Heaton chipped in with 18. In reply, the homeside were restricted 103 for 2 from their 20 overs.
The U11’s lost by 45 runs at home to Darlington in the NYACC League despite some excellent batting from captain Joey Hayman (32 off 16 balls) and Trent Telford (19 not out off 15 balls) and some good bowling from Miles Telford (2 for 21).
The Aycliffe senior ladies team got their league season off to a great start with a comprehensive victory by 81 runs at home to Sacriston in the Durham Womens League.
Photo: The victorious Aycliffe’s ladies team (in blue) and their counterparts from Sacriston (in red).