Skipper delighted with side’s ten-wicket win
STRATFORD stormed to a ten-wicket opening day win and skipper James Urquhart admitted he couldn’t be happier.
Having skittled Swans Nest visitors Rugby out for just 122, the home side made light work of seeing off the runs with openers Chris Calcott and John Stratton each chalking up half-centuries.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off the season,” the Stratford captain said. “A ten-wicket win – I’m really happy with that.
“They won the toss and chose to bat and we probably would have done the same thing. It looked
a very good deck – which is a credit to our grounds guy.
“Our bowling was very tight and economical, which is always going to be the case with the likes of Tom Grundy and Archie Walker – they’re both very economical bowlers. We also know how to set our field.
“Also, I’m not quite sure they that Rugby read the pitch quite as how it was, I think they gave it a bit too much respect. I don’t think it had as many demons as they were expecting. We also tried to share the bowling around to keep them fresh and keep the batsmen guessing.
“We did bowl a few too many extras, and while we got away with it, I think in another game, against other opposition later in the season, we might have been pushed a bit more. But in general, I was very happy with the bowling and the fielding.
And Urquhart was also pleased with the contribution made by his opening batsmen.
“I’m really pleased for the two guys but they were the only ones to gain match practice. But if we win by ten wickets every week then I’m a happy man.”
Rugby won the toss and elected to bat but immediately found runs hard to come by with Stratford’s opening bowlers Tom Grundy (2-18) and Archie Walker (1-23) finding line and length.
The first wicket to ball was that of Matthew Ewar, caught off the bowling of Cameron Stiles (2-28) for just four with the total on 30.
Fellow opener Joshua De Souza looked the more confident of the pair but when he was trapped lbw by James Urquhart (3-24) for 18, the writing was on the wall.
There was a brief respite for Rugby when a mid-innings partnership between Kyle Taylor and Daanyal Sadiq put on 39 for the sixth wicket with the latter going on to top score with 24 as his side were all back in the clubhouse in the 44th over.
The wickets were shared around with Josh Baines taking 1-21 and Gareth Langman taking a wicket in his solitary over.
Stratford’s reply was clinical as their opening pair chalked up 123 in 16.4 overs. Top scorer Chris Calcott’s 59 came off 51 runs and included two 6s which was matched by John Stratton whose 55 came off 50 balls.
All of Rugby’s bowlers suffered except for Seth Westley whose five overs went for 17 runs.
Stratford are at Streetly on Saturday who beat reigning Premier Division champions Olton and West Warwickshire in their opening game.
