Ross-on-Wye 2nds travelled to Hanley Castle at the weekend with four father/teenager combinations in the team.

Ross chose to bowl on winning the toss and the Bailey family were first to the fore as Andrew quickly accounted for both openers, followed by son Marcus taking a catch as Charlie Cole also took two early wickets.

A good stand between L.Hobbs 38 and Miller 44 then took place before Charlie, returning after Stu Tucker had to be removed from the attack for bowling one too many baseball style deliveries, removed Hobbs. Tucker then ran out Miller with a direct hit (of the wickets this time) and another batch of wickets fell quickly as Harry Friend 1-34 and the miserly Andrew Bailey 3-17 both created stumping opportunities for Jim Lewis, before Charlie Cole 4-38 clean bowled his victim.

An unbroken last wicket stand between I.Hobbs 42 and Yeates 12 then took the Hanley total to 194-9 with Isla Kendall unlucky not to take a wicket at the end.

After tea, Richard and Lizzie Jeffryes opened for Ross but the Hanley opening bowlers quickly made inroads and Ross lost wickets regularly. Only Chris Friend, batting at number four on his debut, showed the necessary application, combining solid defence with a number of punishing drives and cuts through the offside.

After briefly batting with son Harry, he continued to keep Ross hopes alive as Charlie Cole gave him sensible support.

Having made 61 Chris was given out LBW and despite some late blows from Steve Cole and Marcus Bailey and doughty defence from Isla Kendall, Ross were all out for 122, to lose by 72 runs.