National Village Cup joy as Rolleston reach last 16

ROLLESTON booked their place in the last 16 of the National Village Cup on Sunday, beating Pembrokeshire side Cresselly by three wickets in the fifth round.

Cresselly had scored 331 in a recent league game but Rolleston bowled them out for 181 inside 39 overs after winning the toss and choosing to field. In reply, Rolleston slipped to 69-4 but found their feet, wicketkeeper Jack Sanderson and Sam Jackson finishing the chase in style in the 38th over.

Sanderson hit six fours and a six as he finished unbeaten on 39, while Jackson only faced four balls but hit two fours and a six in a swift 14 not out.

After being put into bat, Phil Williams and Simon Cole put 20 runs on the scoreboard in Cresselly’s opening partnership but Cole was bowled by Alex Brown for 16 (three fours).

Williams was joined by Iwan Izzard and the pair produced a solid stand of 59 for the second wicket.

Izzard hit four fours in his score of 24 before he was caught by Sam Bates off Tom Liversage’s bowling.

Williams reached 35 but was then caught by Bates off Jackson to leave Cresselly on 103-3.

Nicky Cope and Alex Bayley were the new men at the crease and they shared 25 runs for the fourth wicket.

Bayley survived a strong run-out appeal, while Cope hit two sixes in his score of 27 before being trapped leg before by Jay Ridgeway.

Soon after, Jay Ridgeway had his second wicket as he had Bayley caught on the boundary by Louis Burrows for 15.

With the score at 147-5 in the 32nd over, the home side knew they needed to push their score on.

Ryan Lewis came in and hit two sixes but he saw Dan James dismissed by Brown before he was bowled by Brandon Ridgeway.

Charlie Arthur hit three fours in a score of 18 but was then bowled by Alex Britton.

Brandon Ridgeway then bowled Tom Murphy and Britton dismissed

Morgan Lewis the same way as the home side were all out for 181.

Rolleston lost opener Gareth Marshall early in their reply when he was bowled by Arthur.

Burrows and Bates then shared 56 runs for the second wicket before Bates was caught by Cole off the bowling of Murphy for 27.

Murphy also had Burrows (27) caught by Lewis, who then trapped Britton lbw.

That mini-collapse had seen Rolleston slip to 69-4.

However, Brandon Ridgeway and Liversage shared 32 runs for the fifth wicket to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Ridgeway hit two fours and a six in his score of 17 before being bowled by Lewis.

Liversage hit three fours as he made 28 before he was caught by Nicky Cope off the bowling of Murphy.

That saw Rolleston reduced to 113-6 but Brown and Sanderson shared 56 runs for the seventh wicket to take their side to within touching distance of their target.

Brown scored 15 before he was bowled by Cope, giving the home side hope.

But Sanderson and Jackson had other ideas though as they sealed victory and a spot in the last 16, where they will travel to face Leicestershire side Cropston on Sunday, July 3.