Skipper hails team spirit as Wellesbourne crowned Cotswold Hills League Premier Division champions
SKIPPER Greg Ricketts admitted worries over availability before the start of the campaign meant he would have been happy with a top five finish – instead Wellesbourne went on to clinch their fifth league crown in six seasons.
Bourne, who were Cotswold Hills League Premier Division champions from 2016 and 2018 before Exhall & Wixford ended their domination in 2019, were celebrating back-to-back titles once again as they cruised to a nine-wicket success over local rivals Shipston on Saturday.
Although closest challengers Kineton claimed the maximum 24 points from their clash with Exhall & Wixford, it did not matter as Bourne’s success meant they finished 11 points clear at the top.
Ricketts told the Herald: “When we started the season we were worried about availability and with that in mind we would have been happy with a top five finish.
“The availability has been better than we thought and we knew the two games against Kineton would be the most crucial.
“We went on to beat them twice and that gave the squad a real boost for the rest of the season.”
Shipston were put into bat after losing the toss and they had made a decent start through openers Julian Morris and Ryan Worthington (13).
The pair had put on 38 runs until Worthington – who had scored his maiden century the previous week – was clean bowled by Chris Evans (2-33). Two balls later Evans struck again to remove Jamie Shurmer for a two-ball duck.
Morris and Marcus Ireland (13) looked to steady the ship but when the latter was sent back to the pavilion by Ben Blakemore (3-23), it sparked a collapse as Shipston fell to 73-6.
Morris was the fourth wicket to fall as he departed for a one-every-two-balls 32 after being caught out by Tommy Wheeler off Ricketts.
Blakemore returned to the attack and wasted little time in dismissing Shipston skipper Jack Murphy (4) and Daniel Knight (0) to leave the visitors reeling.
Max Morris (23) and Alan Horsford (21 not out) stopped the stem of wickets and looked to bring the away side back into the contest.
The seventh-wicket stand put on 37 runs before Dave Barnett (2-12) had Morris caught out by Edward Smith. Barnett then trapped Sam Dexter for lbw but that was the last wicket to fall as Shipston saw out their overs to finish on 135-8.
Bourne got off to a shaky start in their reply, losing Myles Isted for just five after he was clean bowled by Dexter (1-30). However, Wheeler and Jamie Maynard would put on a match-winning second-wicket stand to guide Bourne to 136-1 in the 33rd over to secure the league title.
Wheeler finished unbeaten with a 99-ball 66 and Maynard on an equally steady 37. Shipston would also have been disappointed to have added 28 extras to the home side’s total.
Wheeler’s fine display ensured he finished the season as the league’s top runscorer with 757, while Ricketts topped the bowling charts with 39 wickets.
With the season now over, Ricketts told the Herald that the players will enjoy the winter break before looking to defend their crown once again in 2023.
“Hopefully we can bring in one or two extra players for next season and we look forward to going again,” he added.
