A PROFESSIONAL batting display from Langtons 1st XI earned a seven-wicket win at home to Quorn.
In a match reduced by rain to 38 overs, Langtons elected to field first and Lee Linnett (8-1-36-1) produced the perfect start, ripping out the opener’s off stump fourth ball.
However in damp conditions Langtons’ bowlers found swing difficult to c
ome by and the visitors’ second wicket pair added 50 until Aron Cherry (11-1-45-1) claimed a wicket with his first over. In a shortened game, the Quorn middle order came out swinging and maintained a healthy run rate while Prem Prajapati (10-1-66-4) took regular wickets. The visitors’ innings closed on a challenging 196 for 6.
Unlike previous weeks, Langtons’ openers were able to lay solid foundations with skipper John Lawrence showing no signs of a two-week lay-off, hitting 31. The stand-out batsmen of this season, Aron Cherry and Jamie Marchant, looked like knocking off the target themselves until Cherry (73) was unlucky to be given out lbw off an inside edge with the score on 150. Fran Finnemore (3) went soon afterwards, holing out in an effort to maintain the run rate. With a run a ball required, his replacement Prem Prajapati showed no sign of nerves, smashing 16 not out from seven balls, and Marchant (64 not out) hit the winning boundary from the first ball of the penultimate over to secure a 22-point victory.
The 2nds also chased a daunting total in a rain-reduced game at Broomleys.
The Coalville-based side batted first and a ton from their opener enabled the hosts to post 220 from their 41 overs.
Langtons produced a true team effort to knock off their target. Matt Pollard top scored with 31 and the rest of the top order – James Stephenson, Bhav Prajapati, Jamie Kendall, Mark Ward and Neil Loake – scored between 20 and 30 apiece. Broomleys fancied their chances when the seventh wicket of Andy Horner (0) fell for 150 but Nipesh Shah and Stu Teesdale steered Langtons home with an over to spare.
The Sunday 1sts completed an excellent weekend for the Langtons club with a convincing six-wicket win over Bourne in Rutland League division five.
The Lincolnshire side won the toss and elected to bat – a decision they must have rued when Cillian Brugha (4-0-27-2) took two wickets in consecutive balls in the second over. Bourne’s third wicket pair threw caution to the wind and added 106 until Graham Scott removed their number four for a chancy 74. No other batsmen appeared capable of significant runs and the spin trio of Scott (7.1-2-11-4), Dave Pollard (8-1-50-2) and Jamie Kendall (2-0-10-2) mopped up the tail to dismiss the visitors for 140.
Kieron Linnett (14) got Langtons’ reply off to an exciting start with a six in the first over. Fellow opener Kendall (10) supported him ably until he failed to keep pace with Graham Scott between the wickets and was run out.
