Showers circled Broughton Park when skipper Mark lost the toss and the hosts chose to bat. Three enforced changes to last week’s team with 13 years old Alfie Wreford making his senior cricket debut. The seconds bowling appeared to lack strength in depth due to Tony’s injury and defections to the first team but with the team spirit the seconds possess anything is possible.
Mark opened the bowling with Will Tipler and tight bowling from both bowlers made run scoring difficult for the opposition. Will’s five over spell was particularly pleasing and showed that his bowling is ready for the scrutiny of senior cricket. At the halfway way point the Cooks had contained the opposition to three runs an over for the loss of two wickets, both to Mark who finished his spell with impressive figures of 10-1-20-2. With Sid taking over from Mark, the skippers next task was to juggle his depleted attack at the other end. The home batsmen were on the offensive but the wily Sid was using all his experience of over 300 senior games to make inroads into W & W’s batting line up, ably backed up by Adam Longley who took two valuable scalps. A heavy shower stopped play after 34 overs with W & W reduced to 135-7.
An early tea was taken, when play resumed an hour later with 6 overs lost, Sid soon mopped up the tail taking a seasons best of 6 for 28. The Cooks again showed great commitment in the field to give themselves a chance to chase a target that was by no means impossible. During the ten minute interval between innings the calculator was required to work out the target required based on run rate, which amounted to 131.
The Cooks batsmen struggled from the start against accurate bowling from the home side in conditions that the home bowlers exploited. Wickets fell at regular intervals with only Adam providing any stubborn resistance in reaching 21. Batting at number 7 young Alfie showed some good technique and it was unfortunate that his stay at the crease was cut short by an unfortunate run out. It took the opposition just over 27 overs to take the complete set of Cogenhoe wickets to gain victory.
The seconds play cricket in a sporting committed fashion, on this occasion there was no reward but many positives can be taken from this game, especially the contributions from the two youngest members of this team.