Cricket: Hore hits quick ton but Rockhampton suffer loss (From Gazette Series)

WEPL Glos/Wilts Division 1st XI: Rockhampton (219-6) lost to Westbury & District (221-6) by four wickets

4:53pm Wednesday 12th August 2009 in Sport

A CENTURY from Simon Hore was not enough for Rockhampton to steal a victory against league leaders Westbury.

After a very pleasant end to the week, Rockhampton managed to get back into competitive action after last weeks washout and faced top of the table Westbury at the Boundary Field, looking to try and steal a win from under the leaders.

Captain Matt Tyler elected to bat and immediately, he and other opener Nigel Hopkins forced some lovely drives to the boundary.

With the score at 15, Hopkins edged a drive to the keeper and Tyler continued to play masterfully until he was bowled for a tidy 21.

Rowan Cartlidge followed shortly afterwards and Simon Hore and Will Tyler set about rebuilding.

With attractive shots either side of the wickets, both batsmen picked apart the seam attack with Hore reaching 50 in very quick time.

This onslaught brought more from both batsmen until Tyler nicked one behind for a well judged 38.

Hore continued his dominance and with support from White (11) brought his century up off 112 balls and was out shortly afterwards for 102.

Cameos from Jack Spence and Will Cartlidge brought Rockhampton’s innings to a close on 219-6.

Rockhampton headed into the field in typically buoyant fashion, but despite some risky strokeplay, a wicket wouldn’t fall until the dangerous Romell King was removed for a run-a-ball 37. Other opener Richard Mills followed soon afterwards and Westbury could have been wobbling at 56-2.

However, Ben Whiting and Joe Breet weathered the storm and kept pushing on through difficult bowling spells from Will Cartlidge and Charlie Turrell. When Breet was dismissed through a fine piece of bowling through Cartlidge, the game was still in the balance at 120-3 with about 20 overs remaining.

Brannon Varley and Whiting continued in the same vein, and when Whiting was finally dismissed, another quick couple of wickets couldn’t stop Varley and Carroll seeing the visitors home with three overs to spare.

Pick of the Rockhampton bowlers was young spinner Turrell, who bowled his 15 overs for 67 with two wickets.

Next week, Rockhampton visit a resurgent Wootton Bassett, looking to finish strongly.

Glos/Wilts Division 2nd XI Rockhampton (187-3) beat Westbury and District (184-7) by seven wickets

Rockhampton seconds secured a third successive win thanks largely to a fiery spell of bowling from Chris Pearce and then another imperious innings from Adrian Savery, who is now averaging over 50 in an impressive season.

Dave Lane’s decision to bowl first was vindicated from the very first ball of the game as Nick Whiting chipped the delivery from Pearce straight to James Cooke for a simple catch.

Pearce (3-45) ripped out two more Westbury wickets, bowling Pete Gizzi for four and getting Luke Ayrton caught brilliantly by Matt Wright at slip.

Both Jamie Curtis and Rob Cave struggled to impose the same control and the Rams shelled six difficult catches.

Joe Weare and Jon Dilena added 120 for the fourth wicket before Mark Beale’s perseverance paid off with Cave taking a good catch.

A brilliant run out by Savery and late wickets for Jamie Curtis reduced the hosts to 184-7.

Long (15) was off like a train and smashed a huge six but was dismissed in the most bizarre fashion as a delivery pitching way outside leg stump crashed into his pads before trickling onto the off stump.

When Cox (11) smashed one straight to mid-off the Rams were 36-2 but Beale and Savery set about compiling a healthy partnership. When Beale was stumped for a patient 22 though there was plenty for the visitors still to do.

Savery was driving fiercely through the covers and registered his third league 50 of the season, also equalling his highest league score.

His 79 not out included 13 boundaries and Matt Belbin’s 34 not out also sees his season average encroaching on 50. The Rams completed the victory with three overs to spare.

Village Cricket League Rockhampton (219) lost to Biddestone (223-6) by four runs

Rowan Cartlidge hit 92 as Rockhampton fell just short of victory on a blistering hot day.

After Rockhampton opted to bowl first, opening bowlers Cave and Irwin made early inroads and after ten overs, Biddestone were 56-3.

Some responsible bating however enabled the score to race along.

Irwin was the pick of the bowlers with 8-1-36-0 and was ably supported by Spence 5-1-2-23.

Rockhampton got off to an appalling start when Fraser was bowled without troubling the scorers. The dependable Douds played an array of attacking strokes before he scooped one straight to the bowler for an exciting 30.

When Belbin was out for 49, Spence followed shortly after.

Rowan Cartlidge passed his 50 with 100 needed from ten and quick running and powerful strokeplay brought the deficit down before the loss of Cooke and then Belbin.

Coates blasted some quick runs with Cartlidge and Rockhampton needed nine from the last over.

Quick running brought it down to five with two balls remaining, but Cartlidge was caught on the boundary for an explosive 92.

Coates couldn’t hit the six required after being bowled a quick yorker.