Shilton take the honours
HINCKLEY Town visited county rivals Earl Shilton on Saturday and in a tight and tense game lost by five wickets.
After winning the toss Hinckley elected to bat but lost their first wicket with the score on 24 when Craig Crowe was caught by wicket keeper Liam Phillips off the bowling of Kyle Chamberlain.
The hosts were now bowling well and Tom Verow claimed the wickets of Ayaan Pathan for six and had captain Rag Sen brilliantly caught in the slips by Chamberlain for ten reducing Hinckley to 48-3 after 12 overs.
But Hinckley fought back with a fourth wicket partnership of 89 between Syed Abrar and Janak Valand this was broken when Abrar was caught by Giles Holmes, bowled Muhammad Rahim, for 41 leaving Hinckley on 137-4.
Valand was out for 51 six runs later and when Avish Patel was out for five Earl Shilton were gaining control with the visitors on 144-6.
A mini seventh wicket stand of 37 between Mo Bhola and Kamran Jussab helped matters taking Hinckley to 181-7.
Jussab was out for 12 and Bhola was stumped Phillips, bowled Phil Crouch for 32 leaving Hinckley on 198-8.
A quick 22 by number nine Suki Singh helped Hinckley to a total of 215-9 off their 45 overs.
Tom Verow, Hasnain Ali and Rahim all took three wickets each for Earl Shilton.
Chamberlain and Ali got Earl Shilton off to a solid start putting on 34 in seven overs at which point Chamberlain was bowled by Suki Singh for 18.
Number three Giles Holmes was caught by Abrar bowled Mo Bhola for 12 leaving the hosts on 52-2, and this became 93-3 after 25 overs when Husnain Shah was caught by Manpreet Singh, bowled Avish Patel for nine.
At this point the game looked that the result could go either way but captain Josh Payne and Ali consolidated matters: Ali was out for 74 with the score on 144-4.
Payne and Phillips took the score onto 200 when Phillips was bowled by Sen for 14.
Payne remained at the crease and was 59 not out when Earl Shilton reached the target with three overs to spare hence winning by five wickets.
This was their third win on the trot and they took 25 points jumping above Hinckley in the table to sixth place. Hinckley only gained nine points. Next week Hicnkley Town host Newtown Linford and Earl Shilton visit top of the table Langtons.