CRICKET: Young Poulton side end season in style (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Magnificent 144 not out from Poulton's Ferreira

11:07pm Monday 3rd September 2012 in Sport

Readers Glos CCL Div 2.

Poulton 214-8 Fairford 119 all out.

A YOUNG Poulton side ended their season strongly with a convincing 95-run victory against local rivals Fairford, who fielded a much more experienced team.

For the umpteenth time this year, Poulton lost the toss and were asked to bat on a typical, end-of-season slow wicket.

Neil Ferreira and Jody Lawrence gave them a fine start with excellent running between the wickets and patience. But when Lawrence was bowled for 23 and James Tait went on the next delivery, Poulton were 65-2. The middle order then regrouped and gave good support to the outstanding Ferreira who made batting look ridiculously easy on his way to 144 not out.

There was also some lusty lower-order hitting from Siddiq Khan (12 off three balls) and Ollie Armitage (8 off four balls) to give Poulton a very good score of 214-8.

Poulton bowlers Ollie Newman and Siddiq Khan put pressure on from the start. Newman bowled four consecutive maidens to start, beating the bat several times before finally getting the wicket of Sam Young thanks to a smart low catch from Lawrence at cover. Coupled with tight bowling from the other end by Khan, who went for only 16 in his nine overs, Newman ripped through the top order to leave Fairford four down and struggling to stay in the game.

Once Ferreira took the wicket of big-hitting Townsend with his first ball, the game was as good as over. Despite some stubborn batting from Leadbeater and King, once the former was bowled by Bale for a solid 42, Poulton’s youngsters took the remaining wickets fairly comfortably, with a couple of wickets going to Ollie Armitage and the final wicket to Robbie James.