Ton-up Campbell drives Widnes to thrilling win
to bowl first.
The skipper broke the opening partnership of Goodwin and Moore.
With the score on 51, Moore was caught by Fletcher for 23. Alex Money became Majeed’s only victim for three and Killoran became Evan’s second victim for 10.
Goodwin was holding the innings together but couldn’t find a partner to stay with him as Vickery was caught by McCoy for 12 off the bowling of Evans. The match was evenly poised but on 120 Evans captured the vital wicket of Goodwin for 67. Lloyd Evans became Tom Evans‘s fifth victim for a duck.
Parkinson picked up the wicket of the big hitting Lee Dixon and Hafiz had Williams caught, by man of the match Campbell, for 15. Tom Wyatt hit some lusty blows towards the end ● but two run outs provided vital.
172 off 40 overs was a challenging target with a slow outfield and competent Chester bowling attack .
McCoy went second ball off Aspin. This brought the inform Campbell to join Sean Moore at the crease and the score progressed to 80 before Moore was trapped LBW by McCormick for 27.
At the other end, Campbell looked imperious. Playing shots all round the wicket - it was simply a question of which of the Widnes batsmen could remain with him to build a match winning partnership.
At 109 for five, the Widnes charge for victory looked to be over. Joe McCurdy became Fleet’s second victim for nine and Chester seemed on the brink of victory. With Evans promoting himself up the order, Widnes hopes rested squarely on Campbell.
Evan chipped a full length ball off Fleet to be caught at midwicket for two and Will Myers came and went, stumped for two. With six overs left of the allotted 40 and with Widnes needing 33 more runs to win with only two wickets remaining, a Widnes win looked most unlikely.
At this point, Campbell decided that he would take the game by the scruff of the neck. With Tom Fetcher demonstrating a sound defence, Campbell decided to deal only in boundaries.
The 150 came up with just 16 balls remaining and 23 more runs needed. Four byes and five scrambled runs meant 14 was required from the last two overs. The next over Campbell brought up his hundred with his second successive six into Beaconsfield Road. His hundred came off 118 balls with nine fours and six sixes.
The drama continued with the next ball and with just two runs to win, Campbell attempted a third consecutive boundary and was promptly bowled by Killoran for 105. Last man Parkinson came to the crease needing just two runs to win and with Fletcher still to score at the other end.
A text book cover drive gave him a single and left him to face the final over.
One wicket was required by Chester to tie the game. With four balls remaining, Parkinson calling on all his experience, swept for victory and was rewarded with four runs.
Widnes are away to Oulton Park on Saturday looking to extend their winning run and the promotion chasing second XI are at home to Bollington.