CRICKET - Rugby recover from collapse to secure losing draw against Olton - The Rugby Observer

CRICKET - Rugby recover from collapse to secure losing draw against Olton

Rugby Editorial 9th Jun, 2022   0

RUGBY CC were forced to settle for a losing draw and nine points against Olton after a mixed performance in their Warwickshire County League Premier Division clash.

Olton posted 208-7 from their 46 overs as Wes Landsdale, Neal McGrath and Seth Westley all took two wickets apiece.

However, Rugby struggled to 165-7 from their 46 overs despite Landsdale’s impressive knock of 68 not out.

Landsdale won the toss and elected to field only for a heavy rain shower to delay the start of the match and reduce the game to 46 overs per innings.




And McGrath took an early wicket when play began before James Neale and Aman Hussain build a solid partnership before Landsdale broke their 77-run stand.

However, Gary Hawkins (68) joined Hussain (70) at the crease and proved a tough partnership to break until Landsdale struck again with the dismissal of the latter.


Westley (2-51) bowled a strong second spell whilst McGrath (2-37) finally accounted for Hawkins in the final over.

Rugby ran out Arwand Barnard (29) late on in the innings as Olton posted a 200 plus total.

And Rugby’s reply started badly when Hugh Cochrane was caught for seven in the second over as Henry Parker (18) and Jeevan Barhey (28) steadied the ship.

The pair’s efforts along with Landsdale’s 68, which saw him his seven fours and a six, had Rugby well-placed only for a flurry of wickets to see Rugby lose five wickets for just 38 runs.

Rugby were left teetering on 109-7 with Landsdale and 15-year-old Levi Gekis at the crease with 13 overs left to play.

However, Gekis (21 not out) showed great maturity to keep Olton’s bowlers at bay as Landsdale passed 50 to leave Rugby well short of the required total although they were at least able to secure a losing draw.

Rugby’s 2nd XI dominated their top of the table clash with Moseley Ashfield in Division Five to come away with a winning draw.

Early rain reduced the match to a 35-over affair as a huge opening stand between Rugby pair Charlie Robards (114 not out) and Lee James (109) set up a huge total.

James Nuttall added some late fireworks to finish on 51 not out as Rugby ended their innings on a mammoth 297-1.

Moseley never looked like getting close to Rugby’s total and seemed content to bat their way to a losing draw posting 97-4 from their 35 overs as Nuttall, Adam Milsom, Jonathan Sage and Amaan Shah all took a wicket apiece.

Rugby’s 3rd XI eased to a comprehensive 143-run victory against Peugeot in Division Eight South Central.

Openers Chris Evans (24) and Daniel Pinks (72) added 64 for the first wicket before the latter was supported at the crease by George Robards (41).

Rugby were eventually bowled out for 195 but made light work of Peugeot’s top order in reply thanks to Liam Slaughter (2-16).

And Rubans Sugartharubans finished with remarkable figures of 4-8 from his 10 overs before Tom Smith (1-6) and Advay Pophali (2-0) polished off the tail as Peugeot were skittled for just 52 in 27.4 overs.

Rugby’s depleted 4th XI suffered an 88-run defeat against Coventry Coventry West Indian Wanderers in Division Nine South Central.

Despite taking early wickets through youngsters Henry Woodrow (3-28) and Matthew Browne (2-33), Coventry’s Balaji Subramanian (58) led the fightback and was well supported by Tawfiqullah Niyazi (39).

That allowed Coventry to post a commanding score of 241-9 from their 45 overs as Matt Raffell, Anup Sodhi, Diesel Binding and Anand Pophali all took a wicket each for Rugby.

And Rugby lost both openers on just 22 runs in reply although Jag Barhey’s 68 briefly threatened Coventry’s total.

However, Rugby were unable to take advantage of promising positions at 77-2 and then 116-3 as a lower order collapse saw them slump to 153 all out.

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