Ellie Holdaway, Barrow’s 2nd XI captain, recorded her highest ever score in making 71 not out and batting all 40 overs for her team in their defeat at Chilcompton Sports on Saturday. It proved to be the highlight of a disappointing weekend for Barrow’s senior teams all of whom were outplayed in their league fixtures.
At Hobbs Lane the Firsts struggled to build on some promising starts from Ben Skuse (25), James Riley (20) and Phil Milton (25) and their final score of 141 all out always looked on the low side. In reply Bedminster 3rds’ captain Simon Roche anchored the innings making an unbeaten 50, and despite a couple of late wickets for Ed Holdaway (2/34), the target was easily achieved.
Meanwhile at Chilcompton the home team batted first and paced their innings well with 3 batsmen making 30 or more. Wickets fell at regular intervals with Steve Owen (2/30) and Mike Lilley (2/39) keeping the total down, but there was no decisive breakthrough. Pete Rooney (4/25) was the pick of Barrow’s bowlers with an incisive and accurate late 6 over spell which prevented a score of well over 200.
Ellie’s marathon effort went largely unsupported as wickets fell at the other end and 135-6 represented little improvement on the previous week and a 55 run defeat.
The Sunday 3rd XI came up against a very sporting Kilmersdon team, and their star batsman Steve Jackson who played an accomplished innings for a second consecutive century in the Sunday League batting through the innings for 130. Nick Heal (2/30) Matt Owen (2/33) and Ellie Holdaway (2/53) shared the wickets as Barrow put in a good performance in the field against a short boundary one side and in the heat of the day, as Kilmersdon made 202-6.
Bernie Forge and Kieran Owen laid a good foundation in an opening partnership of 41 before Ellie continued where she left off on Saturday stroking 27 runs. Nick Heal contributed some big hitting making 24 but the rest of team struggled with Kilmersdon cannily taking pace off the soft second innings ball and using the setting sun behind the bowlers arm. Kilmerson’s captain, Darren Davis took 6/25 in the process, Barrow being bowled out for a disappointing 143.