Cup loss forgotten as Berwick Cricket Club first XI bounce back to win in the league

Captain Elliott Keenan in action against Tillside. Picture: Keith Hamblin

On Wednesday (May 24) the firsts were beaten by 15 runs after Warkworth elected to bat first and ran up 118 runs in their 20 overs, Berwick bowler Stephen Thompson ending with figures of 4-5.

The returning Lee Mark, aka ‘Sparky’, was the pick of the Berwick batters as he hit 27 of Berwick’s 103 runs in their 20 overs.

The club announced Mark’s return earlier in the week and his success with the bat was not unexpected as he hit 4,221 runs in 186 innings during his first stint with the club, including 25 half centuries and two centuries.

Back in league action on Saturday, Berwick were put in to field by their visitors and kept them to 166 for nine from 50 overs.

This time captain Elliott Keenan and Declan Mark both ended with three wickets piece, Keenan ending with figures of 3-24, Mark 3-34, James Thompson got two wickets for 42 runs and Stephen Thompson 1-24.

Berwick were soon 33-3 with the loss of David Currie for one, Lee Mark for 21 and Aaron Hart for nine runs.

Keenan then came in and scored 27 and Niall Jones 43, to help Berwick reach 168 for eight wickets, giving them a two-wicket win.

Also scoring in double figures were Jordan Woodcock, 14, and Martin Hush, 11, with the Thompsons both not out at the end of the innings, James on 11 and Stephen on 10.

The result earned Berwick firsts 27 points and gives them their third Division 2 win of the season.

The second XI were away at Embleton firsts and lost by three wickets.

Put in to bat, they were all out for 105, Michael Beveridge just missing out on a half century after being bowled by Ewan Thorpe for 44.

Embleton reached 108-7.

Dominic Bonner was responsible for four of Embleton’s wickets, ending with 4-35, with the other Embleton wickets shared between Steve Hilton,1-15, Louis Outterson 1-16 and Beveridge 1-1.

The seconds are still to record their first win of the season.

The firsts host Bates Cottages on Saturday (June 3) while the seconds are away at Blagdon Park.