Cirencester Cricket Club > News > July 2003 > Cirencester succumb to high-flying Rockhampton

Cirencester succumb to high-flying Rockhampton [Wednesday 23 July 2003]

Gloucestershire County Cricket League Division 2
Cirencester - 117 all out
Rockhampton - 118/1
Rockhampton won by 9 wickets

Cirencester got an extreme reality check last Saturday going down to a heavy 9 wicket defeat at the hands of table topping Rockhampton. Having arrived at Cirencester Park and found, due to Friday rain, a damp and green Cirencester wicket, captain Jeffcott knew that the toss was vital.

Unfortunately, as sometimes happens when you are playing the best team in the division, that little bit of luck that is needed seems to desert you. Therefore, the toss was predictably lost and Rockhampton's captain had no hestitation in inserting Cirencester.

Proceedings got off to the worst possible start with opener Andy Walker being bowled first ball by the extremely impressive opening Rockhampton bowler Williams. Walker was then quickly followed back to the pavillion by Reynolds and then Rodrigoes, rather wastefully run out.

With the score on 14 for 3, Richard Graham then joined Jeffcott, who together pulled the score up to 40 without further loss . It was then Williams struck again removing Graham caught and bowled for 11. Andy Cooper, was then left to provide the one real innings of command and substance, hitting 5 fours and 2 sixes in a belligerent 45. Unfortunately, with the loss of him and Jeffcott for a pain staking 20, Cirencester's innings folded fairly tamely for 117. For Rockhampton, opening bowler Williams took 3 wickets and ended with figures which did not do him justice and coming on second change, Jones produced the remarkable figures of 6 for 22.

In reply, Rockhampton's extremely strong batting line up had little difficulty knocking off the runs in just over 30 overs for the lost of just one wicket - Hopkins being run out by an alert piece of Andy Reynolds fielding. Gloucestershire Under 19s squad member Tyler scored an elegant 52 not out and was ably supported by Hore who also scored 52 not out, despite rather fortunately escaping a caught behind appeal while in the thirties. For Cirencester, left arm spinner John Turton bowled an excellent 12 over spell which only cost 24 runs - a great effort with hardly a bad ball bowled.

Cirencester must now consolidate their mid-table position over the next few weeks.