Cirencester Cricket Club > News > June 2003 > Shackleton inspires 1st XI to vital win at Cam

Shackleton inspires 1st XI to vital win at Cam [Wednesday 25 June 2003]

Gloucestershire County Cricket League Division 2
Cam - 79 all out
Cirencester - 143 all out
Cirencester won by 64 runs

Cirencester followed up their victory against Birdlip the week before with another excellent win over Cam last Saturday. With a good all round team performance they comfortably in the end saw off a challenge of a struggling Cam side.

Having won the toss, Cirencester elected to bat on what looked a relatively good surface. Unfortunately, as sometimes is the case, what you see is not what you get. With the wicket providing a lot of assistance to the early Cam bowling, Cirencester struggled to 50 for the loss of four wickets.

However, with Andy Walker holding firm, and with the assistance of John Turton, they steered Cirencester up to 80 without further loss. Unfortunately, with the loss of John Turton, to a rather dubious caught behind for a well made 27, Cirencester's late middle order were unable, on a difficult pitch to take advantage of their position.

With Andy Walker eventually being out for a dogged 25, Cirencester found themselves in the precarious position of 100-9. It was at this point that the match winning last wicket partnership between John Turner (13 not out) and young James Shackleton (21) took shape and finally resulted in a good total of 143 all out.

In reply, Cam, got off to a poor start with their opening batsman falling victim to James Shackleton in the second over. This brought to the crease Cam's beligerent ex-captain Pete Hall, who took a liking to some loose Cirencester bowling. However, James Shackleton was not put off and with two quick wickets, including Hall, put Cirencester well and truly in the box seat.

Ryan Chandler did his best to try and restore Cam's fortunes with some hard hitting, but with his demise, this time to John Turner, Cam were unable to put up any further worthwhile resistance. It was left to John Turner, who yet again bowled with superb accuracy to finish off Cam's batting with 4 wickets, ably supported by left arm spinner John Turton who took three wickets.

Cam were eventually bowled out for a paltry 79, giving Cirencester victory by 64 runs. Cirencester's bowling was backed up by some excellent catching at vital times, two of these catches were taken by Andy Lobo and another two by James Shackleton who with John Turner were joint men of the match.

Cirencester can now hopefully look forward to this weekend when with a full strength side they take on Haresfield.