Langley let Wayfarers off the hook
LANGLEY 1st XI entertained Wayfarers at the weekend and despite being on top for most of the game could not force the victory.
On a cloudy and very cold day skipper David Frame won the toss and elected to bat. The hosts got off to a flying start as Sunny Malik in his usual flamboyant mood attacked bowling assisted by David Gregory the duo added 71 in just 10 overs before Gregory 2 misjudged a single and was run out.
Adam Cartwright joined Malik and the pair continued the good work, Malik reached a superb century off just 47 balls in just 63 minutes, a sparkling effort, Cartwright showed great maturity scoring 25 before he was caught and bowled with the score on 175 of 23 overs.
Malik eventually perished for 167 off just 70 balls, hitting 22 fours and 9 sixes, with the score on 221. Pat Horgan 15, Danny Brown 25, Dave Cowen 0, Si Patterson 6 and Matty Betteridge 28no all attempted to push the score along as Langley posted 277-7 off 39 overs as they declared giving Wayfarers 51 overs to bat.
Wayfarers lost Clinch 5 early on when he was bowled by Paddy Turner. Sultan and Abid steadied the ship and took the score to 71, before Sultan 31 was trapped LBW by Paterson. Abid reached a fine half century he was then bowled by Alex Berzins with the score on 92. This wicket seemed signal the end of Wayfarers attempt to win the game, Hussain and Malik defied the bowlers for 50 minutes until the former was caught at mod on by Brown for 16, Smith 15 hit a couple of fine blows and survived a strong appeal for a catch behind, he was eventually bowled by Turner.
Frame made several bowling changes which saw Patterson return to the attack and take 2 quick wickets as he has Zeb 3 LBW and Williams 2 well caught at short midwicket by Cowen. However with little assistance in the wicket Malik 36no and Baldwin 2no saw Wayfarers to 171-7 off 51 overs.
Patterson 3-53, Berzins 2-10 and Turner 2-42 took the wickets. The bowlers toiled away but were just unable to take Langley to victory. Langley collected 16 point and Wayfarers 14 points. Langley sit in sixth place after three games with 55 points, 20 points off leaders Maritime.
Skipper Frame was pleased yet disappointed: “Sunny batted superbly and put us in a very strong position, Cartwright played his best innings for the first team and Matty played a great cameo at the end. However the wicket offered very little assistance to the bowlers, but they grafted away and never gave up. We had a couple of decisions not go our way, but that’s cricket, Patterson and Berzins both bowled very well and can do very well for us this season.”
Langley travel to Chester County Offices next weekend.