The weekend saw a double success for Barrow Gurney teams, with the First XI enjoying an emphatic win whilst the Seconds recorded their second win on the trot.
Mark Brown drives for 4 on his way to 158
Barrow First XI were in much need of a win after recent reverses and they got first use of the wicket at Hobbs Lane against Chilcompton on a hot and sultry afternoon. After losing both openers cheaply, Mark Brown and Josh Yelland came together and soon began to dominate the visitors’ bowling attack scoring at way more than a run a ball. Both cleared the boundaries 7 times and when Yelland fell 8 short of a maiden century for Barrow, the partnership had realised 223.
Josh Yelland pushes a quick single in his 92 against Chilcompton
A tired-looking Mark Brown fell shortly after for 158 (off 105 balls with 21 fours to add to the 7 sixes) but Jonny Sykes (42 not out off 19 balls) ensured that there was no respite for the Chilcompton bowlers as Barrow posted 331-6 off their 40 overs.
Jonny Sykes mounted a late innings onslaught
An opening spell of 2 for 22 from Ed Holdway, and 2 early, if expensive, wickets for Jonny Sykes (2/41) soon had Chilcompton 61-4, before spin twins Frank Forge and Nick Heal bowled their off spin of contrasting styles to put the pressure on the middle order. Although runs began to come, wickets fell at regular intervals as batsmen felt the need to force the pace. Ben Hodges took a couple of stumpings as the spinners took 3 wickets apiece (Heal 3/39, Forge 3/47) to bowl out the visitors for 150 and a maximum points win.
At the beautiful setting of Tockington Manor School, Barrow Seconds found themselves in a near repeat of their previous game as opposition, Thornbury 4ths raced to 175-3 only to collapse and make just 200.
Phil Taylor took 4-11 at Tockington Manor
Marcus Wormwell’s 106 was the mainstay of the innings as the classy left-hander played shots all around the wicket. But after he was dismissed the last 7 wickets fell for only 25 as Phil Taylor (4/11) and Mike York (2/10) built on the success of Rob Moyse (2/26)
Linden Alway’s hard hitting 71 set Barrow 2s on course for victory
Ben Skuse continued his good form with an opening 27, and he enjoyed a partnership of 95 for the second wicket with the hard-hitting Linden Alway. 30 from Mark Gracey moved the team closer to their target after Alway fell for 71 off 51 balls (4 sixes, 10 fours). With a few nerves around the camp, Dave Smith’s composed 24 not out took the team to victory by 4 wickets with 6 overs to spare.
Both teams now find themselves comfortably in mid table after the first third of the season.