Normandy’s Sowter plays his part with bat and ball in uplifting win
AFTER two thoroughly lacklustre performances with the bat, a trip for Normandy to Reigate Priory was certain to be another stiff test for the batters and no doubt Reigate will have had hopes of an early finish in mind when they invited the visitors to bat first.
A revamped batting line-up that saw Ollie Batchelor restored to opening with Joel Foster and
Chris Jones back at number three gave a more experienced look to the top order and 28 for the first wicket was a distinct improvement on the first two weeks. Thereafter, Jones and Foster dug deep and against a testing attack saw the score through to 93 before the Aussie import fell for 46.
After last week’s century for the seconds, Sam Holland was promoted and he combined well with Jones to add 72 for the third wicket before falling for 27. This brought Middlesex’s Nathan Sowter to the crease to up the tempo, while Jones completed his half century, eventually falling for an excellent 77.
At 221-4 there was a chance for the lower order to push on past 250 but Reigate had other ideas and six wickets tumbled for just 11 runs as Normandy were dismissed for 232 – Sowter having contributed 33 at more than a run a ball.
The 232 was going to be a challenging score but certainly not out of reach of an impressive Reigate batting line-up, and while the seamers failed to make any early in-roads the introduction of Vignesh Venkateswaran quickly reaped the wicket of Richie Oliver for 8. The home side reached 55 without further mishap, but the arrival of Sowter brought reward as Sam Hall was caught and bowled for 32.
Luke Haughton and Ed Fluck added 60 for the third wicket before Sowter bowled Fluck for 32 and then trapped the newly arrived Australian Alex Ross LBW to his second ball for 117-4. When Jones grabbed the wicket of Angus Dahl it was 130-5 and advantage swung to Normandy.
Reigate still had the dangerous Haughton at the crease, but
Foster finally ended his resistance to make it 167-7 and any thoughts of tail-end heroics disappeared when Sowter returned to wrap up the innings – three quick wickets ending proceedings with the home side 35 short and Sowter finishing with excellent figures of 6-34.