Mixed Bag for Jets Seniors

As we approach the turn into the final half of the 2021 season there was a mixed bag of results for the senior sides. Whilst the 2s and 4s were blessed the 1s and 3s were not at their best, meaning some fine individual performances were balanced with some large contributions to the fines pot.

Ashley v 1stXI

There is never a good day for a bad performance but the 1stXI falling to a limp defeat at Ashley was particularly disappointing given both teams entered the fixture within touching distance of each other at the top of the table. The Jets had positioned themselves well approaching the halfway stage of the season with a repeatable playing formula reaping rewards on the pitch. It failed to materialise here though and a miserable two-point return sent the side plummeting down a competitive Division 1 table.

The 1stXI looked to be recovering solidly from the loss of Andrew Clarke for a golden duck as they navigated their way to 30-1 with a run of boundaries, but this became 30-5 and then 39-7 in a shambolic period of play. It finished the game as a contest within the opening hour and, by the time the Jets were dismissed for just 70, nine batsmen had fallen caught with seven of those to ring fielders. Jibran Khan was chief destroyer, returning 5-19 from 10 overs of testing spin bowling to which there was little resistance.

There was more semblance of a contest when the Jets took to the field but the luckless Jamie Henderson having two chances dropped early and a tight LBW shout turned down confirmed it wasn’t their day. As with the home side, the spinners found some joy on a turning surface but Ashley put North East out of their misery from the final ball of the 22nd over to send the Jets home with just two points for their efforts.

2ndXI v Timperley

A rearguard action from the lower order batsmen helped the 2ndXI to post maximum batting points at London Road. That had seemed an impossible scenario when only Chester Bowden (32) produced a meaningful score from the top five. Veteran Fran Turnbull showed all his experience to carve out an unbeaten half-century, an even 50* not out (7x4, 0x6, 55b) eking out stands of 51 with Dave Bridge and an unbroken 28 with Jimmy Williams.

There was some concern when Timperley raised fifty without loss to start their reply, especially with captain Zain Bhatti entering the game with north of 700 runs to his name this season. Andy Heath (4-32) started a collapse of what would be all ten wickets for just 46 runs though when he accounted for Shah and Bhatti was eventually seventh man out for 47. No other visiting batsman managed more than 5 as the Jets turned the screw to register a 64-run win.

Appleton v 3rdXI

The threes joined their 1stXI counterparts on the naughty step with a 9-wicket loss. In a quirk of the fixture list they made their second trip of the season to Appleton and may be hoping they never go back again after a second disappointing loss. Chris Espley was left marooned on 30* not out as nobody outside of the top four managed double figures, Roger Cawthorne running amok with 6-25 in the Jets’ 118-9.

Appleton skipper Paul White then once again dined out on the Jets attack, adding an unbeaten 60* to his match-winning 66 from the previous encounter. Only Pete Heath (1-17) found success with the ball as stand-in skipper Alex Oswell utilised seven bowlers in search of further breakthroughs.

4thXI v Hale Barns

On the same wicket used for the 2ndXI’s fixture, the 4thXI produced an almost identical batting display to set up their win over Hale Barns. Again is was the presence of an experienced campaigner down the order who enabled the side to overcome an inauspicious start. Scott Parkinson cracked eleven boundaries in his 61 which transformed the innings alongside son Ed’s 15 and Adam Burgess’ 26 as the total swelled to 192 all out.

In reply the Hale Barns umpiring was considerably more generous than had been seen the previous week. Six LBWs was the reward for some accurate bowling that quickly confirmed the fours would remain atop the table. Adam Burgess (4-16) and Sam Thompson (3-20) shared seven of the wickets to fall as Barns were 86 all out. It was the perfect preparation for a key fixture next weekend as the side travel to second place Brooklands.