The Sunday team ventured to Winscombe this week, scene of their thrilling last over win last year. A sunny afternoon beckoned although the ground was distinctly soggy with plenty of give in the ground bowling from one end.
Winscombe won the toss and invited Barrow to bat. Recent batting form has been very patchy so a safe and solid start was badly needed. Ben Skuse and Bernie Forge provided this. Ben enjoying the somewhat gentler pace than he faced the day before, running lots of 2s to the longish square boundaries before hitting a glorious straight 6 and then retiring having made his half century. Bernie was not far behind, finding boundaries hard to come by for once and it has to be said the Winscombe youngsters fielded very well. Bernie suffered a painful blow when brother Frank crashed one back straight only to complain that she had stopped the ball going for a certain four. When Bernie retired on making her 50, Steve Allen (25) injected some momentum with quick singles and, losing Frank for 15, found an able partner in Mark Fisher (22*) before he fell bowled off his pads to a ball that bounced not more than twice. Oscar Livesey ended the innings 10 not out at the close. 199-2 gave Barrow something to bowl at for once.
Guy Fisher opened up running through the mud and up the hill off his long run and his early spell was very tight as was that of Adam Brace at the other end. The hard-hitting Clough though has caused Barrow problems before, and when Mark Fisher knocked out his leg stump hopes were high. The young Winscombe middle order batted steadily and Barrow were unsuccessful with a couple of confident appeals for a stumping and a run out.
Oscar (2/30) had the best figures although he struggled with his length. Young Leo Brace bowled 4 fabulous overs before drinks for only 6 runs and was overjoyed when Bernie pouched a thick top edge to give him a wicket.
After drinks (when Winscombe were 75-5) the wheels came off as Winscombe overseas player, McElduff, decided to strike numerous blows over the short straight boundaries. Dropped while in his 30s at long on, he also survived a difficult stumping chance off a ball that did not bounce at all, but after that he breezed past 50 and continued towards 3 figures (hitting 5 6s) only being denied by Winscombe passing the target with 8 overs to spare.
A game that seemed to be heading for a close finish once more had turned into a comfortable win for the home side to the disappointment of the Barrow team who had played really well for 60 overs only to lose it in the last 12.