CLACTON v WOODBRIDGE

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division three

(Clacton won by 184 runs)

CLACTON produced a much-improved bowling display to run out convincing winners.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Imran Sheikh and Scott Facey got off to a blistering start and boundaries were flowing, until the latter was caught for 13.

Woodbridge’s bowlers then found their areas and made life difficult for the Clacton batsmen.

The quick wickets of Bradley Turner and Iain Vine slowed the scoring, but this brought Mo Asghar to the wicket.

His partnership with Sheikh got the home side back on track, putting on 146 for the fourth wicket.

Asghar was eventually out, caught for 66, and was soon followed by Sheikh, who had brought up his century off 109 balls.

Matt Fowler and Lewis Kirk then combined to add 51, with a combination of boundaries and well-run twos, to see Clacton finish on a competitive 247 from their 45 overs.

Having been disappointed with their fielding display the previous week, the hosts used the new ball well.

Bradley Pitts and Kirk bowled well in partnership to tear through the opposition top-order, backed up by some excellent catching.

Kirk bowled Adam Green, before having James Harris caught in the gully two balls later.

Not wanting to miss out on the action, Pitts squared up to Billy Hamnett, who edged into the hands of Asghar at gully in the next over.

Kirk had Ryan Scopes caught at slip by Vine, with Pitts later dismissing Josh Hayward, caught behind, and Andy Oswald and Nathan Jenkins, caught at point by Ryan Chamberlain.

This left the visitors reeling at 25 for eight.

Ben Foreman was the only one who showed any resistance, waiting for rare loose deliveries to punish, while he watched wickets tumble around him.

A change of ends for Kirk saw him dismiss the defiant Foreman, caught and bowled, before wrapping up the innings by bowling Khan for his fifth scalp of the match.