WILLOUGHBY’s topsy turvy season continues to show on signs of stability as they fell to a 14 run defeat in the day’s first leg of a club double-header with Bodicote in the South Northants Cricket League.
Having lost the toss, the hosts unsurprisingly chose to bat first on what looked like a great batting track but Nick Crane’s bowling with pace, control and swing caused Willoughby problems, who struggled to keep him out.
A steady flow of wickets throughout saw Bodicote close at 148 all out, a total that looked under par, despite the wicket beginning to show signs of uneven bounce as the ball got softer. Crane finished with figures of 4 for 30 from ten overs and with Si Nicholls running through the Bodicote middle order with 5 for 38.
Confidence at tea was high for Willoughby but that confidence soon disappeared however as increasingly erratic bounce saw Willoughby’s top order again falter as they were reduced to 26 for 5.
Temporary captain Dave Alcock and Graham Hallam then managed a stand of 50, until the former fell lbw for 43 and Hallam was then unfortunately run out the very same over, leaving the visitors at 76 for 7.
James Barnwell departed soon after, with Willoughby reduced to 88 for 8 and the game seemingly gone.
Ryan Perry and Nicholls had other ideas though, and took the attack back to Bodicote with a stand of 46, until Perry fell for 28 chasing quick runs at the end.
Nicholls followed shortly after, again looking for the boundaries as Willoughby finished just short of their target, closing on 134 all out in the 38th over.
