PIKES ON TOP IN DERBY GAME
Malton welcomed local rivals Pickering to the MCG for this clash, a welcome return to cricket for the majority of the team after two weeks out because of rain and a bye the two previous Saturdays. Skipper John Foxton won the toss, and inserted Pickering, hoping for early wickets and a full 30 points to go with an abandoned game and a winning draw.
Unfortunately this did not happen, and Pickering openers Shaun Smith and Dan Hardy proved a tough partnership to break. Oliver Gilbank and Tony Linsley bowled short opening spells, Gilbank conceding early boundaries with some short and wide bowling. Stu Watmore and the returning Shane Bonser also failed to break the partnership, and it was Lester Parkin, the pick of the Malton bowlers who broke the partnership with the wicket of Hardy, followed up the next ball with the wicket of Devine for a first ball duck, caught behind by Simon Hird. Parkin went on to take the wicket of Smith for a well made 70. Bonser finished with tidy figures of 2-49 off his allocated overs. Phil Dodsworth also bowled a tight spell; before Eddie Cass blasted his way to a quick fire 56 not out at the end of the Pickering innings to propel them up to 199, leaving Malton needing a round 200 to pick up maximum points.
Malton's reply got off to a poor start, with James Spencer, Tony Linsley and Adam Morley all falling cheaply. This brought together Parkin and Andrew Tyres, the successful partnership of the opening game against Heworth, and the pair batted well, Parkin unlucky to fall first for 32, before Bonser and Tyres also constructed a partnership that brought Malton well under the asking rate for the innings. As with the loss of the Parkin wicket, the wicket of Tyres, also for 32, was at a time when Bonser and Tyres threatened to take the game away from Pickering. Captain John Foxton was also unfortunate to fall for 1, stumped by wicketkeeper Cass.
Watmore and Bonser then rebuilt the Malton innings, continuing the healthy run rate, Bonser reaching his half century in the process. A mistimed drive by Bonser was his downfall, bringing Gilbank to the wicket with Malton still in with a chance of victory. Watmore fell overs later, for a well made 27. After this was the unfortunate injury to Phil Dodsworth, dislocating his knee attempting a single. This left Hird and Gilbank to survive the final overs to ensure a losing draw. With two balls of the innings remaining, Pickering skipper Adrian Boyes, who finished with figures of 3-26, found the outside edge of Gilbank, with 'keeper Cass completing the Pickering victory.
Malton and Old Malton 2nd XI 180-9 vs. Pickering 2nd XI 199-5.