Visiting openers set up win
For the first time this season Thurstonland batted second and Qaser Khan was quickly into his stride with a drive for four through mid on fro the game's first delivery from Lee Booth. A further four three balls later made his attacking intentions clear. His partner, S Ghafoor, was a little more circumspect but the visitors, enjoying a good start which had put them in second place, were full of confidence. Khan had two pieces of fortune, however, before he reached twenty. First he edged Joe Law at catchable height between wicket keeper Russell Mottram and Kris Thackray at first slip and also mistimed a pull shot off a delivery from Lee only for the ball to balloon into the air and fall just short of mid off.
The half century opening stand came up in just ten overs and Lee and Joe gave way in quick succession to David Rishton and Greg Holmes. The scoring rate slowed a little but the stand had reached 86 when Greg got a ball through Ghafoor's defences and saw it clip the top of the stumps. He had made 30 but soon after his partner reached his half century. David Rishton caused the batsmen to play cautiously as he varied his pace and flight and he got his reward when T Hussain lobbed a catch to Chris Flanagan at mid on.
After being under the cosh so far, this heralded something of a fight back by the home team. For a time runs became harder to find for Azaad as David bowled N Hussain for 6 and had H Mahboob lbw for the same score. Lee returned bowling his off breaks and left handed Qaser Khan's good innings ended when David Rishton (3/25) kept in the action by catching his at backward point off Lee for 76. When he followed this up by bowling W Ahmed for 8 the score was 142/6 after 34 overs. I Mahboob and Tariq Mahmood then turned the course of the game again by adding 78. The former eventually reached a well struck 52 not out although he should have been caught at long on when on 15. The ball fell over the boundary for six and he celebrated by hitting a four the next ball followed by a six two balls later.
Tariq Mahmood gave good support and ended on 28 not out which gave the visitors a useful tally of 220/6.
Thurstonland needed a good start to mount a serious challenge but an excellent opening spell of 4/25 from N Hussain put his side in the driving seat. Kris Flanagan was caught behind by S Aslam for four, Russell Mottram was lbw for two whilst Tariq Mahmood did well to hold on to a sharp chance in the gully to dismiss Alex Topham without scoring. Kris Thackray meanwhile was batting positively and for a time he was given good support by Neil Booth only for the latter to become Hussain's fourth victim, caught at first slip for nine.
Left handed Tom Broom looked in good touch, getting well into line and playing watchfully, until he hit a ball firmly to mid on and called for a single only to be run out from a direct hit at the bowler's end. Thurstonland were now 68/5 as Ryan Hunter joined Kris. They raised the score to 89 before Kris was given out lbw for 48, an innings full of positive shots, to be followed soon afterwards by Greg Holmes bowled for nought. N Hussain then returned to the attack and had Ryan caught for 18 and then Joe Law edged him to the wicket keeper with his score on six. Lee Booth and David Rishton hung on for nine overs but Lee was stumped from the bowling of F Chishti for 6 leaving David not out with the same tally and the all out score 128.
Team: Chris Flanagan Kris Thackray Russell Mottram (w/k) Alex Topham Neil Booth Tom Broom Ryan Hunter Greg Holmes Joe Law Lee Booth David Rishton.
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