SATURDAY, May 20, saw the second game of the season for Ross-on-Wye CC 1st XI who travelled to face local rivals Wormelow in GB Liners Marches Division One, reports KEITH FLITTON.

And with newly-promoted team expecting tough competition, they were not incorrect in their prediction.

With the hosts batting first on a flat track, Wormelow began scoring at pace. Even an early wicket by Chloe Tingle couldn’t prevent Wormelow scoring at a rate that would likely end in a 300-plus run-chase for the visitors.

Highlights of the first innings belonged to Wormelow opener, Ed Melly, who ended his innings unbeaten on 112, despite only running a small portion of these runs, with some 12 fours to his name.

Archie Langford also fired 83, including seven fours and five sixes, while skipper Tom Cutler weighed in with a 72 that included eight fours and two sixes.

First team debutant for Ross, Shyam Bharadwaj, starred with the ball taking two of the four Wormelow wickets to fall, with his well-flighted deliveries trapping Langford and fellow top order batsman Tom Parry (5) lbw.

Ross, having a huge total of 317 to chase started carefully, but Wormelow began to take regular wickets for minimal runs.

Again, Angus McIntyre put up a solid defence of one end whilst the other Ross batters struggled to get the ball away due to the accurate bowling, and lost wickets at regular intervals at the other end.

With the Ross batting order knowing they would now struggle to reach the required amount, they chose to get what they could out of the game and looked to gain any available batting points from the fixture.

This appeared to somewhat frustrate the Wormelow bowlers, who then struggled to pierce the solid batting of the Element twins, who scored 29 between them, while McIntyre ended on a well-crafted 81 not out, including 14 fours.

Ross ended the day on 152-5 from their 45 overs, but claimed a moral victory of not giving in to the pressure and taking an important four points from the game which could make all the difference by the end of the season.

Ross 1st XI host another derby when near neighbours Goodrich visit the Sports Ground this Saturday (May 27).

The 2nd XI lost out by 231 runs at home to Moccas 1st XI in Marches Three, Nigel Lane with the wicket in the visitors 280-1, and will want to bounce back away to Dales 2nds the same day.