Widnes brought to earth with a bump
WIDNES came down to earth with an enormous bump compared with last week’s fighting display against Chester Boughton Hall.
Invited to bowl first by Oulton skipper Danny Leech, Widnes got off to a perfect start when Aaron Soni had Leech smartly caught by Chughtai for just three.
Andy Mills became
Soni’s next victim for 24 and when McKenna had Jimmy O’Sullivan caught for 11, Oulton were looking for someone to take the innings by the scruff of the neck. Enter Robert Sehmi.
Despite losing Callum Begg to a smart throw by McKenna, Sehmi began steadily to re built the innings.
Firstly with Alistair Begg, who made 25 followed by Jonny Litler, Sehmi started to dominate the scoring.
His fifty came up in 84 balls which reflected the fact that the Widnes bowlers maintained a steady line and length to restrict the run rate despite the quick scoring dimensions of the Oulton Park ground.
Hafiz in particular bowled a tight line without any reward. Widnes captain, Tom Evans brought himself onto bowl but with Sehmi already well set, it proved a difficult afternoon for the Widnes skipper.
With his batting partners looking just to survive, Sehmi increased his scoring rate and his hundred came off 125 balls, including 3 sixes and 10 fours.
Evans then had Littler well caught by a diving McCoy for 12 and then bowled Park for 2.
With Sehmi crashing the ball to all parts of the ground, the 200 hundred came up in the 53rd over.
McKenna affected his second run out of the day and the Oulton innings ended in the 55 over on 228 with Sehmi undefeated on 128.
The Widnes bowlers for large parts of the inning contained the Oulton batters but they could not shackle Sehmi.
Aaron Soni finished with respectable figures of 3 for 37 off his 10 overs.
Chasing 229 to win on such a quick scoring ground should not be a too daunting task for the Widnes batters.
However the top order could not establish themselves as they have done in previous weeks.
Maher departed without troubling the scorer and when McKenna and Burns quickly joined him back in the pavilion, things looked bleak.
The Oulton opening bowlers, Park and Dufty, then added to their haul with the wickets of Chughtain and Luthra and at 5 for 21, the Widnes reply was in tatters.
James McCoy briefly raised Widnes spirits with a nicely crafted 33 before being caught. Soni made 18 and the returning Alex Hewitt, 10, before Hafiz hit a six and then got caught.
Evans hung around for 43 balls before being caught for 6 bringing an end to the Widnes innings. 99 all out off just 38 overs. A defeat by 129 runs.
Andrew Dufty was the pick of the Oulton bowlers with 3 wickets for 31 off his 14 overs, ably supported by his opening partner Park, who also took three wickets.
Evans must now have to pick up his team for the coming weekend. On Saturday Widnes face Brooklands at home, and he will be hoping to gain his first win of the season.
On Sunday, Widnes face Didsbury away in the national cup. This game starts at 1pm, an hour later than normal league matches.
Two wins over the weekend would do much to kick start the Widnes season and better reflect the hard work put in by the team over the winter.