Quorn end their season with win over Electricity

QUORN’S 2018 season came to an end, with a hard fought victory at Electricity Sports.

With rain forecast, Tom Bottrill won the toss for the home side and chose to bat. Against an accurate seam attack, of Steve Maddocks (0-30) and Adam Lee (0-29), Bottrill (15) and Pranav Dave (22) got the innings off to a steady start putting on 41 for the opening wicket. With drizzle falling, and with the fielding side struggling to keep the ball dry, Quorn captain, Andy Kenneth turned to his slower bowlers. Jon Reynolds, using great variety of pace and flight, struck in his second over, tempting Bottrill into an injudicious shot.

Within the space of eight overs 41-0 had become 52-5 as successive batsmen where unable to come to terms with Reynolds’ guile and experience. In tandem with Jack Child, Reynolds took 4-22. Dimitrius LaMontagne came to the wicket and immediately took an aggressive approach striking five fours in his 36 ball 33. Amir Bhaam (15) shared a partnership of 36 with LaMontagne before Child (3-36) dismissed them both in successive overs to leave Electricity Sports on 93-7.

As the rain intensified, the innings was shortened to 39 overs, and by the time the teams returned to the field, the home team did not have time to mount a substantial total and despite Mick Ainge’s 16 the innings closed on 122-7.

Richard Sharp (20) got the Quorn innings off to a brisk start, but his dismissal, caught at gully from a fierce cut shot, triggered a mini collapse as the visitors slumped to 36-3. Batting at number four, Chris Cooper started cautiously, taking no chances against Amir Bhaam (2-23) or the Young legspinner Sachin Suresh (1-22). Matt Blackwell (4) kept Cooper company for a crucial partnership of 30 runs, to take them to within touching distance of victory. Mick Ainge (3-31) was not prepared for his team’s season to slip away so meekly and his three wickets reduced Quorn to 106-6.

However, by this stage Cooper was seeing the ball like a football and striking shots fiercely down the ground. Hitting 10 fours and two sixes, Cooper’s 65 not out took Quorn over the finishing line with 10 overs to spare.

Quorn’s strong finish to the season, which had seen them fighting relegation for much of the time, brought them up to a comfortable mid table position by the end. Hopefully, Some of the younger players who have represented Quorn this year will be able to take a full role in the onward progress of the club next year.