McNamara able to draw comfort
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RUNCORN Cricket Club’s first XI were unable to clinch a victory against Barnton on Saturday despite a resilient batting display.
Captain James Wells and his side were up against it from the off as Barnton’s opening batsmen Jack Whalley and Callum Doyle put together a strong partnership to reach 60 without loss.
Wells made the decision to bring in the spin bowlers and Runcorn were then able to reduce Barnton’s free-flowing batting.
Runcorn had a tally of 188 to chase in 37 overs and all-rounder David McNamara believes they just missed out when two wickets fell in quick succession towards the end.
“We did OK on Saturday but it could have gone either way,” said McNamara
“I didn’t think the game would be on because of the weather but we were able to get 37 overs played.
“We won the toss so we chose to bowl but they got off to a flyer.
“Me and Matty Tyrrell came on as spinners and we tied them down a little bit afterwards.
“We restricted them to about 120 in the second half of their innings despite them getting about 60 runs in their opening eight overs.
“We dropped their opening batsmen a few times though and he went on to make about 80 runs so that was disappointing.
“When we came in to bat, they had an Australian bowler who was quite quick. We dug deep and the middle order put together decent partnerships.
“We needed about 60 runs in the last eight overs and we got it down to about 40 runs then I got out after playing a pretty silly shot.
“I thought if I had managed to stay in we might have got the win but we then had our bowlers into bat and they did a great job to stay in and fight for the draw.
“The top order just didn’t seem to get enough runs at the start and we were always struggling from then really.
“Both our openers got out cheaply. Dan Booth got another duck which was disappointing as he’s one of our best batsmen so it just didn’t start off well.
“It was a good team performance in the end really so it wasn’t a bad result.
“We dug in with the bat and fielded really well despite dropping those catches.”
Runcorn return to action this evening when they entertain Stretton in the T20 Cup (6.15pm).
They then have a crucial league fixture against Hale Barns on Saturday and McNamara is hoping for a victory in both games.
“It’s a T20 game on Thursday and our Runcorn team is decent.
“We reached the semi-final last year and the intensity in our play is high,” said McNamara.
“We want to do well again this season in the competition and hopefully we can do that. We lack that intensity a bit on a Saturday.
“On Thursday I expect a win. They are a good team but we will be confident. Hale Barns are doing well this year too so Saturday will also be tough.
“We’re away from home at the weekend so I don’t know what to expect. Hale Barns seem to have done well on their turf this season. They have got an Indian overseas player who seems to be scoring lots of their runs. We just need to play our own game and look to target him early.
“Will Magee isn’t here for the two games this week but we will have Jack Weston returning and he’s a huge boost because he’s a good all-rounder.
“He’s an ex-captain so he will bring lots to the team but Will is a loss. Ryan Beech is also away as he’s back at university sitting exams.
“Ben Clissold has also played a few games for us this season and he looks like he could be a great T20 player so hopefully he’ll give us something extra on Thursday too when he comes back into the side.” WIDNES are set to travel to Castleford Tigers tomorrow night with yet another new half-back combination in the offing.
Both Joe Mellor and Tom Gilmore are likely to sit out the game with injury while new loan signing Rangi Chase is not allowed to play against his parent club.
Youngster Jordan Johnstone will keep the midfield position he has occupied for the last couple of weeks where he will be joined by either Lloyd White or Aaron Hermaia.
Chase made his debut in the Magic Weekend clash against Wakefield on Saturday but all did not go according to plan with the lack of cohesion in the side there for all to see.
This was hardly surprising given that the Vikings had three debutants in the team and another couple of players who have been called back from loan spells.
There were signs a few weeks ago that Widnes’s horrendous injury troubles were starting to ease but the rugby gods have deemed otherwise, to head coach Denis Betts’s frustration.
He does, at least, have a bit of wriggle room this week in terms of his pack selection.
Betts said: “It’s the most bizarre situation I’ve ever been around. I think we’ve used about 40 players; it’s amazing you can use that many when you’re halfway through the year.
“We’ve reviewed things to find out why but a lot of them are just trauma injuries caused by playing the game.
“I’ve got a bit of potential for rotation in terms of forwards. Greg Burke and Jay Chapelhow are available and Tom Olbison is back in the mix after a dead leg.”
This situation is complicated still further by the fact tomorrow’s clash is the first of two games this weekend.
If any team looks unprepared for such physical excess, it has to be the Vikings.
And Betts isn’t expecting any sympathy from a Tigers side that sits at the top of the table and has been in outstanding form in recent weeks.
He added: “They’re by far the best team in the competition at the moment.
“The confidence is running through the place and they’re producing consistently high quality performances.
“If anyone gets near them this year it will be because of injuries or a real drop off in their own form.
“On that dangerous left edge, they’ve got an international in Shenton, an international in Gale, and Greg Eden has come back from Brisbane and has always had it in him to be a sensational player. They’ve also got a young full-back called Zak Hardaker who’s a good player at full-back!
“When you throw in what Junior Moors and Jesse Sene-Lefao bring to that, it’s not bad.”
Promising young dummy-half Danny Walker is likely to return for Widnes who face Leeds Rhinos at the Select Security Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon (kick-off 3pm).