Good day for Alnwick Cricket Club as firsts claim title and seconds move out of relegation places

Alnwick first XI celebrate after claiming the Division 2 title with a win at Warkworth. Picture: Andrew Wright

They clinched the title in style, beating Warkworth by 189 runs after winning the toss and deciding to bat first.

Max Harrison and Andrew Scott both claimed half centuries, Harrison out for 51, Scott for 56 as Alnwick racked up 231 runs in their 50 overs.

The Alnwick bowlers then tore into the home side’s batters, dismissing them for 42 in the 13th over. Jim Burston proved particularly deadly with the ball, claiming six wickets for the loss of a measly nine runs. Gareth Bateman accounted for the other four wickets.

It was a good day for the club with the seconds also winning as they battle to avoid relegation from Division 5, climbing out of the relegation zone with a win against Ulgham in a match between the second and third from bottom clubs.

Ulgham elected to bat first and had Kris Harrison dismissed by Andrew Wright with just 12 runs on the board, before being bowled out for 129. All five of Alnwick seconds’ bowlers claimed a brace of wickets.

Bradley Speirs then made sure it would be winning day for the team with a knock of 82 that included 10 fours and five sixes, as Alnwick reached 131 for the loss of two wickets to claim a valuable 30 points. The win moves them above their opponents and bottom club Berwick.

Alnmouth and Lesbury Cricket Club also recorded two wins on Saturday, the firsts beating Stocksfield away by 13 runs after Paul Straker claimed five wickets for 40 runs and Eknath Kerkar two for nine runs, while the second XI won the corresponding fixture by nine wickets.

Thorsten Robinson helped dismiss the visitors for 98 with his haul of six wickets for 37 runs. In reply, Peter Robinson was out for 34, and Isaac Woodford, not out 28, and Peter Smith, not out on 34, saw them over the line in the 12th over.

It was a losing weekend for Morpeth’s cricketers, the firsts going down by 46 runs to Division 1 leaders Newcastle City and the second XI losing the corresponding game by seven wickets. The defeat moves Morpeth seconds to the bottom of Division 3.