ON Saturday, June 10th Ross-on-Wye 1st XI travelled away to Knighton-on-Teme for their latest Marches League encounter. Upon arriving at the picturesque ground, it was very clear that the soft wicket with a healthy covering of live grass was going to suit the bowlers.

As a result, when Hedgehogs’ skipper, Jack Donovan, called the toss correctly he had no hesitation in asking the hosts to bat. The decision was vindicated immediately as Robbie Nixon, bowling for the first time in 1st team league cricket, took two wickets in the opening over of the match.

Ross gave an excellent display of bowling and fielding which was finished off when Jim Lewis stumped the last man, off the bowling of Cole, to wrap up the Knighton innings for the paltry total of just 32.

The Hedgehogs set out to win the match as quickly as possible. Openers Mike Jeffryes and Charlie Cole launched 20 off of the first over, Jeffryes was dismissed shortly after for 15 but Cole and Alexander Springer then eased into singles and twos to see Ross complete a comprehensive nine wicket win inside five overs.

The 24-point haul sees the team leapfrog Cleobury Mortimer into second place in the league, and sets up what is expected to be a much closer encounter between the two when Ross head up to Shropshire this coming weekend.

Read the full report in this week’s Ross Gazette