One hurdle too far for rugby club cricketers
LAST Thursday saw the Loughborough and Charnwood cricket league season draw to a close, with the final being contested by Loughborough Rugby Football Club’s cricketers and Loughborough Town Cricket Club, in a bizarre rugby v cricket final.
The rugby club won the toss, and chose to bat first. They came out of the blocks quickly, with the first over going for 10. Front rower Tom Litchfield (11) was out in the second over, bowled by Neil Gandhi, for the first of his five wickets.
The rugby club middle order didn’t do itself much justice with Gandhi taking the wickets of Adam Lee (2) and Greg Biddle (0), and Steven Sands (1) as they were left at 26-4.
The rugby club tried to rally and show the form that got them to the final with top run scorer and Loughborough Town Saturday team player Stuart Fielding (29) and Ash Lowe (13) putting a partnership together but in the end they were bowled out for just 85.
Odds weren’t in their favour, however Loughborough RFC had defended three scores of 100 or less already this season and were hoping to do the same again in front of a good crowd at the Park Road ground.
Gunton and Robson opened the bowling, with Gunton taking the wicket of Town’s first team captain Anish Patel (6) in his first over. Robson struck in the next over, with Charlie Lowen (7) falling. And when Gunton (2-20) took the key wicket of Gandhi (0), things were looking promising for the rugby club, restricting Town to 33-3.
However things weren’t to be for Loughborough Rugby, as Town pair of Kaz Saddington (39 not out) and George Kenny (28 not out) saw it home in the seventh over.