Cricket: Leighton hold on for a draw against big hitting Brickhill
LOCAL neighbours Great Brickhill were the visitors to Bell Close on Saturday, and they left with a winning draw after an entertaining affair against Leighton Buzzard Town.
There was no repeat of the drama from earlier in the season when the two teams ended with the same score, although once again there were plenty of runs scored.
In warm sunny conditions and with a lightning fast outfield, the visitors won the toss and decided to bat first.
Leighton made a good start to the game when Garth Davson was bowled by Jack Kempster in the first over with the score on just 2.
Nick Cadman and visiting skipper Graeme Carter then set about building a solid partnership which added some 118 runs for the second wicket inside 27 overs.
Cadman (38) was run out by an excellent piece of fielding and throw by Sam Janes from the boundary edge but Carter continued his run of form with a sparkling 91 which included a fantastic 13 4s and one 6. He was eventually out LBW to Lee Selfe with the scoreboard showing 163.
Doug Aris (64) and Anton De Beer (57) then launched a ferocious attack on Town’s bowlers which resulted in a partnership worth 112 runs in 12 overs.
De Beer was the first to go, bowled by Selfe before Aris was caught on the boundary by Dan Scott off the bowling of Alan Priestley.
Great Brickhill declared their innings on 286-5 off 52 overs, with Doug Aris hitting 64 and De Beer 57. For Leighton Selfe returned the best bowling figures with 2-71.
Town then had 48 overs in which to reply. They made an excellent start with a century opening stand between Tom Light and Chris Thompson which put 112 runs on the board in 21 overs.
The latter was the first to go, bowled by Davson for a solid 59 which included 11 4s and one 6.
But there was then a flurry of wickets when Light (48) edged to wicketkeeper Davies, Kirk Brazier (1) was run out and a leading edge from Scott (0) was held by De Beer, leaving Leighton on 130-4 off 28 overs and facing an uphill battle to take something from the game.
It was clear at this stage that the home side were unlikely to score the required 150 plus off the remaining 20 overs for victory – so less aggressive play was adopted.
Antony Francis (9) was caught at the wicket and then Phillip Whatmore (26) was caught at slip as they ran the overs down.
Kempster (2) went leg before wicket to Aris and it was left to Janes (22 not out) and Selfe (11 not out) to bat out the remaining overs to see Leighton end on 198-7 and take a well earned draw for their efforts.
For Brickhill, Doug Aris claimed 3-60 and Davson 3-62 as Town secured six points from the game to hold on to sixth place in the Division One table, while the visitors claimed 18 and remain fourth.
More cricket in today’s LBO
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North
