Millpark win top of table clash with best performance of the season

With both teams tied at the top, it was a massive game for both sides.

Once again Millpark were forced to make changes from the previous game, with sadly Saturday’s man of the match David Maxwell unavailable.

However, the replacements were to prove more than adequate.

Millpark arrived at Shaw’s Bridge to find a rather wet pitch, which in the opinion of the umpires was unplayable.

After an hour and forty-five minute delay, a game reduced to 30 overs began.

For the umpteen time Skipper McCart lost the toss, but this time he was pleasantly surprised, when Cooke decided to have a bat.

Millpark opened the bowling with Stevie McCart and Davy Glover, hoping to take advantage of the moisture still in the pitch.

It was Glover who struck first removing Kava caught and bowled, before McCart removed the powerful Willmott caught behind at the second attempt by John Simpson.

Harry Lockhart was now into the attack and was once again moving the ball off the seam and had the Australian Sam Harkin playing and missing.

However Harkin was beginning to find his range, striking the ball to all parts and was now joined by the prolific M Robinson.

Their partnership was looking extremely dangerous, until Robinson was run out superbly, by Ben Talbot, with a direct hit from point to the non-strikers end.

Skipper McCart continued to rotate his bowlers, as he tried to remove Harkin.

It was Jason Maxwell who finally did it with Harkin caught behind one handed by Simpson for a superb 91.

To put his score into context there were 10 extras and the next highest score by a Cooke batsman was 8! Cooke Collegians finished on 134 with the pick of the bowling the Skipper 3-19 and Jason Maxwell 3-13 but all the bowlers performed well in helpful conditions.

Millpark were forced to rejig the batting order with the late start meaning Adeel Tahir would have to leave early, he opened instead of Davy Glover.

It was to prove a positive move as he struck the ball crisply for a quick fire 35.

This brought another hard-hitting batsman to the crease in the form of Ryan McCart and he was to inflict further damage on the Cooke Collegians bowlers regularly despatching the ball to the boundary.

Ably assisted by the Skipper, they put on 70 before Ryan was out for 55.

With the Skipper out the following over, it was left to Ben Talbot and Davy Glover to see out the game with over 10 overs to spare.

A comprehensive away victory by Millpark by 7 wickets and arguably their best performance of the season.

Millpark return to Banford Green on Saturday when they entertain Newforge.