2nd XI - Morpeth Snatch Victory from Ryton
 

Morpeth Second XI went in search of their second consecutive victory away from home when visiting Ryton, after last weeks disappointing rain off at Longhirst. Conditions were sunny but very windy and the pitch was poor to say the least. Ryton had first use and from the outset the bounce was variable. Morpeth bowled good lines and took regular wickets to restrict Ryton to 125 for 8 after 45 overs. Morpeth struggled in reply, before the tail end mounted a late surge to push Morpeth to victory with one wicket and two overs to spare, finishing on 127 for 9.

The day began with Morpeth Captain, Chris Maxted losing the toss, but to his surprise Ryton chose to bat on a damp and soft wicket. From the outset Nick Rose bowled some good areas and was rewarded when Williams tried to force one of the back foot but could only find Maxted at gully who took the catch high to his right. Scott came to the wicket to join Johnson, and Embley was unlucky not to cling onto a return catch from Scott in the sixth over.

The Ryton batsmen managed to survive for a few overs, but scoring was slow, before Johnson was next to go for 16 when well caught by Forster at mid off from the bowling of Rose. Morpeth had started well and Ryton found themselves on 29-2 after 10 overs. The two opening bowlers continued but with no further breakthroughs and both were changed after 9 over spells, with the score on 47-2. Maxted replaced Rose and began with some tidy bowling, conceding only four runs from his first four overs. However, it was Stephenson who made the breakthrough at the other end when clean bowling Scott for 24 with one that nipped back through the gate to hit middle stump.

Maxted was next in on the wickets when he had Reed caught by Brown at gully, another one trying to force a cut of the back foot to a ball that was too close. Stphvenson had to take a rest, due to being U'18, after 6 good overs and Maxted swapped to this end with Brown coming on to bowl off spin at the other end. Brown was turning the ball considerably on the damp pitch and causing confusion amongst the Ryton batsmen. In his third over Young tamely chipped to wide mid on, where Maxted ran round to take a comfortable catch. This left Ryton on 82 for five from 37 overs.

Ryton did manage to accelerate their scoring rate in the last eight overs. But good bowling by Morpeth meant that wickets were always falling. The first to go being Ryton Captain Ward for 12 to his opposite number Maxted when caught at mid wicket by Wonders. Brown then continued his good spell by having Walker caught at mid wicket again by Wonders, before bowling Mackay when he tried a filthy swipe across the line. Ryton closed on 125 for 8 which represented an excellent bowling performance, but was still a challenging total on an unpredictable pitch.

Morpeth's reply got off to a bad start with Ingram edging Bainbridge behind without troubling the scorers, and Forster quickly following when trying to drive a Bainbridge yorker and missing, to let it crash into his off stump. Morpeth were reeling on 4 for 2 from five overs and needed some rebuilding work from Brown and Cowell. The pair provided an invaluable partnership of 47 with the majority of this coming from the classy stroke play of Cowell, the only batsmen to look comfortable all day, who punished anything short with cracking cut shots, or over pitched with lovely drives through the offside.

Unfortunately Cowell fell on 39 while trying to turn Mackay to fine leg, getting too fine a contact and being snaffled by the keeper, Butcher. This brought Lowes to the wicket but before any partnership could be formed, Brown was bowled for 4 by one that kept low from Thompson. Wickets were tumbling quickly and Lowes soon joined the batsmen back in the hutch when edging behind again off Mackay. This left Morpeth on 53 for 5 with Rose and Maxted at the wicket, but again they could not forge a partnership with Maxted perishing on 3 to one that pitched half way down before shooting along the pitch and into leg stump from Mackay.

Fortunately, Embley and Rose managed to build a partnership and moved the score along to 85 with some sensible shot making and quick running. Ward returned for Ryton to remove Embley for 9 when another one kept low and Embley could only bottom edge onto his stumps. Wonders came to the wicket with the position looking precarious and no sooner had he arrived it got worse with Rose falling to Ward when trying to smash one over cow corner, but finding the top edge to be held at cover by Bainbridge.

With Ryton sensing victory and Morpeth stuttering on 92 for 8 with 34 runs required from nine overs, two Morpeth youngstars came to the fore in Wonders and Stephenson. With some lusty shot making from Wonders and audacious sweeping off the seamers by Stephenson Morpeth suddenly forged their second partnership of the innings, which pushed them within sight of victory. However, with 13 needed to win Wonders fell, bowled by Thompson to set the nerves going amongst the Morpeth team. Clow joined Stephenson and managed to survive the remainder of the Thompson over and the majority of Ward's next over.

Stephenson then decided to attack medium pacer Thompson and swept consecutive balls to fine leg for four, before stealing the strike with a single off the last ball. With only 3 runs needed for Morpeth or 1 wicket for Ryton, it was too close to call. Stephenson survived the first two balls from Ward, before the third beat his attempted sweep, but fortunately also the wicket keeper and raced away for four byes to bring up a great win for Morpeth's Second team. Morpeth face Whickham at home this coming Saturday.

Chris Maxted

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