Cup Heartbreak for 2ndXI

The 2ndXI’s Twenty20 Cup run ended at the Semi-Final stage with a heartbreaking defeat from the final ball at Oxton on Thursday evening. As with the Quarter-Final, the Jets were again drawn away in the west of the county against higher-ranked opposition and gave a good account of themselves. With the scores level ahead of the final ball, and knowing they would take the tiebreaker of wickets remaining, the 2ndXI couldn’t prevent the match-winning single so will miss out on finals day.

Batting first, opening batsman Harrison Waddington led from the front with a hard-hitting 55 (3x4, 2x6, 56b). Playing on the main square of the Premier League club, the long boundaries made things tough and the score remained consistently at around a run-a-ball throughout the innings. Useful hands from Matt Wragg and Chester Bowden helped push the score along but, despite losing just three wickets, a huge score escaped the twos and 119-3 was about par for the course.

Tight bowling and a superb display in the field that yielded three runouts meant the game was always likely to go to the wire. Oxton wobbled from 44-0 to 88-5 as part-time paceman Chester Bowden returned 2-17, including the wicket of set batsman Burrows. The Jets were in with a great chance but opposition number seven Craig Mathieson played the winning hand with an unbeaten 25* including the winning run from the final delivery of the 20th over.

It was a superb performance from the young 2ndXI to end a great cup run where they have held their own against the best 2ndXI’s in the Cheshire Cricket League. The side must now strive for the consistency that will lead to Saturday success and playing teams like Oxton in league action rather than one-off cup games.