Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club’s 1st team team, sponsored by Franks The Flooring Store had a very tense 24 run victory away at fellow promotion candidates Yarm 1st’s in the 2nd division of the NYSD league. After being asked to bat first, Aycliffe found themselves in deep trouble at 46 for 6, but a brilliant half century from man of the match Michael Howe (photo attached) got his team back on track.
The talented all rounder smashed four huge sixes and five boundaries in a career best score of 66 and he was given excellent support from both Sean Morgan (27 runs) and Colin Myers (30 not out) as Aycliffe eventually closed their innings on a respectable 189 for 9 from their allotted 50 overs.
In reply the home side found the pace of the three Aycliffe fast bowlers too much to handle as Michael Howe (4 for 53), Sean Morgan (4 for 43) and Matty Atkinson (2 for 43) combined to help to bowl out the homeside for 165 with only 7 balls of the innings remaining. The win puts Aycliffe back up to 4th place in the table with 252 from 19 games and still with a chance of promotion with seven games still to play.
The 2nd team were well beaten by 139 runs at home by promotion favourites Seaton Carew 2nd’s in the 3rd division of the NYSD. The visitors chose to bat first and were bowled out for 211 after 42.5 overs thanks to some excellent bowling from Aycliffe’s Neil Bancroft (4-66), Adam Gittins (3-17) and Danny Weldon (3-51).
Seaton Carew’s powerful bowling attack proved too much for the home sides batting line up and they were dismissed for 72 after 18.4 overs despite some resistance from Aycliffe all rounder Neil Bancroft, who finished unbeaten with a defiant 43.