Carson Six Helps 1stXI Hammer Barrow

The weekend saw the Jets dodge the Saturday showers to complete all of their scheduled fixtures. There was a full gambit of times and results with some games over in a flash and others going right down to the wire.

1stXI v Barrow

The first team returned to winning ways by dismantling visitors Barrow at London Road, collecting the points within just a quarter of the scheduled overs. It was a freakish afternoon where everything went right in the field, deliveries finding edges and going to hand from the moment opposition skipper Hughes was caught in the slips to end the opening over. 

Toby Carson (6-18) and Jamie Henderson (4-15) ran riot, the former picking up the prize wicket of overseas Matty Parks on his way to a match-winning six-for. Five catches in the cordon, two bowled and an LBW told the tale of a ruthless display as Barrow were bundled out for 33 in just 19 overs. 

Half of the required runs came from the first over of a bizarre reply where extras proved as profitable as runs from the bat. It meant an extremely early finish, Saul Gould the only casualty as Jake Reynolds top-scored with 14*. 

Offerton v 2ndXI

A feisty encounter at Offerton saw the 2ndXI emerge with their 100% record still intact. The hosts totalled a reasonable 147 all out, doing what most Div B East sides have failed to as they minimised the impact of the Jets spin attack. Sikander struck four maximums in his top-scoring 37, eventually falling as one of four wickets for Sam Turnbull. 

An opening stand of 73 set up victory in reply, Rory Caine (53)the dominant partner before being dismissed shortly after passing fifty. Some rain delays and a scattering of wickets made things closer than the 2ndXI have been accustomed to, but fellow opener Dave Bridge's patient 42 helped secure a 4-wicket win. 

Styal v 3rdXI

While the 1stXI's day was done by 2pm, the threes were still cricketing past 8pm in an excruciating loss at Styal. Rain breaks left the Jets response limited to just 29 overs and an uncertain DLS target after the hosts amassed 195-8 from their full allocation, Toby Street's 4-39 the pick. 

With play-cricket issues only allowing for a DLS calculation after the fact, a bizarre chase ensued. The Jets were likely never in the game though, losing wickets consistently around Owen Johnson who was unbeaten on 42*. He added an all run four in the latter stages that resulted in nine runs when an errant throw then struck a helmet, a suitable end to a strange game. 

Brooklands v 4thXI

A win by the finest possible margin set up a mouthwatering fixture as the unbeaten sides at the top of Division 1 clash next weekend. Two runouts in the final over saw the Jets' record survive by just a single run, a great game of cricket as 201-6 played 200 all out. 

Such a score didn't seem on the cards in a circumspect start against some tight bowling. But the 4thXI batting fired in the second half of the innings, Matt Mullany's third Sunday fifty of the year helping set a target which proved just about enough despite the best efforts of Sam Hill (63*).