1984 Match Reports

Howard Riley struck a fine undefeated 81 for Wigston at Great Glen that was the foundation of their win. Openers Bob Riley and Paul Dunkley, as well as Graham Lowe, gave them a steady start, but it was the partnership of Howard Riley and Bev Horne that put on a hundred runs and ensured victory.

Glen’s reply saw three wickets go quickly and once Needham was dismissed, there was little resistance left. 

When Syston were on 82 with eight wickets down, the game looked to be Wigston’s for the taking, but they had not made allowance for dropped catches which enabled the ninth wicket pair to add a further 42 runs.

Kevin Commons and Paul Bell bowled unchanged throughout the innings with Commons taking five wickets and Bell four. As well as they performed however, their valiant efforts deserved better rewards, than their final analysis showed.

Chasing a total of 133, Wigston made a shoddy start, losing the first three wickets for 15 runs. Batting sensibly, Graham Lowe and Rich Dixey retrieved the situation somewhat until the former was caught behind, having made a top score of 27. Dixey and David Dunkley then added a further 26 bfore the latter was also caught behind. Dixey was then bowled by change bowler Mills and the remaining four wickets fell for only seven runs to leave the visitors a long way short of their target. 

Following the previous weekend’s setback to their desire for league distinction, Wigston Town 1st shuffled their batting order and no one responded more positively than Bev Horne, who hit a splendid 106. Promoted to the role of opener, Hornes’s century was the first by a Wigston player during the current campaign and not only was it chanceless but also one of character.

Horne had seen his skipper Paul Dunkley, dismissed for 15 with the score on 29, but then followed a fine 113 run partnership with Bob Riley, which was to ensure a large total. Horne had passed the century mark before losing his third partner Howard Riley, who had contributed 24, but three balls later he too was dismissed and Town immediately declared with a formidable 210 for the loss of only four wickets.

Gracedieu Park’s early reply was quite rapid, until K.Richards was snapped up by Paul Dunkley at short leg off the bowling of Paul Bell. A.Richards was Bell’s next victim when caught behind by keeper Ray Morris and when David Dunkley replaced Kevin Commons at the pavilion end, he had two wickets in consecutive overs, followed by the dismissal of opener A.Conkay, who had made a well struck 84.

The visitors’ remaining batsmen had no answer to Bell’s hostile pace. Bell, who bowled unchanged throughout, finished with six wickets.

In their Senior League match against Jones & Shipman at the YMCA ground on Saturday, Wigston Town suffered an immediate setback, when Paul Dunkley was dismissed off the first ball of the innings. Bev Horne and Howard Riley made a gradual recovery, but against a more than useful attack and on an unpredictable wicket runs were hard to come by.

Johnson in particular bowled well and once he had removed both of these batsmen it became increasingly obvious that Town were going to have to fight for every run. Riley had grafted well and his 29 was a worthy effort.

Town lost five wickets for only 55 but a fighting recovery by David Gibbins and Paul Ashton added a further 30, while Kevin Commons weighed in with 20.

The innings closed in the final over, leaving the home side only requiring 115 to win.

Unfortunately for Wigston, their bowling performance was sub-standard and the hosts knocked off the necessary runs with 11 overs to spare for the loss of only four wickets.

The victory which gave Wigston Town a 20 point maximum from their home Senior League game was particularly gratifying, especially as their bowlers had to contend with deteriorating conditions after a downpour.

On a pitch that played a few tricks early in Town’s innings, Paul Dunkley and Bev Horne grafted their way to a 64 run opening partnership before Dunkley became the first victim.

After Richard Dixey was caught on the boundary there followed a fine century partnership between Horne and Bob Riley. Horne has made an outstanding contribution to Town’s run-making since he switched to the opening role and his excellent 92 on this occasion was the result of sheer determination. Riley also played a major part in the setting up of 176 and his 55no was equally impressive.

Play was resumed after a lengthy stoppage for rain and the visitors soon lost Whatton when he became John Barlow’s first victim. A run-out followed by a further Barlow wicket saw the Melton side at 33-3, but a useful stand between Walker and Newton brought the score to 88 before the former was bowled by Barlow.

A bowling change saw Horne capture two valuable wickets and a great caught-and-bowled by Barlow swung the iniative towards Wigston. Paul Bell was brought back and he quickly cleaned up the last victim to give Town a satisfying victory.

An all-out total of 147 seemed barely sufficient for a Wigston victory, but fine bowling and fielding saw Electricity put out for 116.

This 20 points win following last week’s maximum now puts Town in striking distance of the leaders.

Bev Horne and Paul Dunkley gave Wigston a sound start.

Replying, Sports lost free scoring opener Musani then Crouch fell to Paul Bell. Three wickets went down with only four runs being added. After Corby was dismissed Bell quickly finished off the rest.

With the exception of opener John Smith, Globetrotters had no answer to the pace of Paul Bell and Kevin Commons when they opened in Saturday’s Senior League match at Magna Road.

Globetrotters found themselves , in less than seven overs, with only 23 runs on the board. Then they staged a mini-recovery, but with the score at 53 Commons had Robinson’s wicket and Bell removed Andy Hicks and Bill Duddy, both being caught by Rich Dixey.

Next, Commons dismissed the highly-rated Smith and in four overs the visitors had lost another four wickets for only one run.

Dixey completed a hat-trick of catches, again off Bell’s bowling and the visitors were all out for a mere 75 off only 25 overs.

Town had little difficulty in reaching their target. Paul Dunkley went for 25 with the score at 46, but Bev Horne and Ray Morris steered their side to victory with only 25 of their allotted overs being used.

When Ray Morris and Kevin Commons had added a quick 20, Town declared on 186-5.

GEC had no answer to Weedon’s pace and that of Commons and with half the home side out for less than 50, the points looked to be Town’s. Weedon’s bowling display brought him six wickets for 19 runs off 10 overs.