With only 3 regulars from last season’s first team available for Saturday’s match against Bitton, Barrow Gurney knew that they would have to play well against a team that had won the week before against Lodway.
Winning the toss Phil Milton put the opposition into bat. Ed Holdaway and Matt Owen opened up, both bowling really well, keeping the run rate down, even if the batsmen were not too troubled, at least until a fantastic bit of fielding from James Halladay ran out the opener with a direct underarm throw.
After that wickets fell regularly leaving Bitton 82-7 after 27 at one point. However, Barrow were held up as Bitton first set about rebuilding and then began playing more expansively later on; Barrow didn’t pick up another wicket until the 44th over by which point Bitton had moved onto 174 before finishing 178-9. Barrow would have been a little disappointed given the earlier position but it is still one they would have taken before the toss. Young prospects Matt Owen and Mark Fisher finished with figures of 9-3-26-0 and 9-3-18-3 respectively.
Ali Hood and Ben Skuse opened the batting, Ali showing intent by crunching the first ball of the innings for 4 through cover. Both batted really well, Ali the first to go for 28 with the score on 41. Guy Fisher scored 12 and Mark Fisher 10 before Ben was run out for 36 classy runs leaving Barrow apparently in the box seat on 111-4 from 25. However, a middle order collapse resulting in Phil Milton, Premil Torrington and Sameera all getting out quickly and cheaply left Barrow reeling at 131-7. After Ed Holdaway was out to a superb one handed catch on 35 the tail couldn’t quite muster the runs needed and Barrow finished 155 all out.