Premier class batsmen, Ben Spendlove (126) and Nathan Dumelow (107no) blasted visitors Quarndon to an unassailable 282-3 at the Willows, but a gritty rearguard action by Ben Liversage and Luke Nelson rescued a low points earning ‘losing draw’ for Rolleston 1st XI.
Invited to bat, James Ede (37) and Spendlove made steady headway – 105 without loss after thirty overs – kept in check by some very respectable bowling by the home attack. Spendlove had passed fifty (98 balls) before Rolleston eventually struck in the thirty first over, Nelson pinning skipper Ede in front and repeating the dose next ball – R S Haider out for a golden.
Dumelow had cautiously moved his score onto 3 from twenty deliveries before Nelson forced an edge from the batsman, wicketkeeper Nick Goode juggling desperately but unable to complete the dismissal. Quarndon’s danger-men increased the scoring rate, but not alarmingly, and after forty overs the scoreboard showed 144 for 2.
However, the base had been laid and all five home bowlers suffered the pain of being regularly dispatched to the boundary over a very hectic final ten overs. Spendlove reached his century courtesy of a boundary four off Britton, and Dumelow notched his fifty in identical fashion, Liversage the bowler. The batsmen were middling some extremely powerful shots and Rolleston’s fielding came under pressure. Dumelow smashed his second fifty off just fifteen deliveries and the partnership went on to plunder eighteen fours and six sixes over the last ten overs.
Britton and Goode combined to claim Spendlove’s wicket in the forty-ninth but the damage had been done and the innings closed on 282 for 3.
Tom Yates and Gareth (Holby City) Marshall started well, 21 runs on the board in the fifth but the former shouldered arms, received the inevitable loud appeal and was on the wrong side of the umpire’s lbw decision. Allen, Rutter and Britton all fell cheaply, victims of injudicious shots as Marshall (36) plugged away at the other end. The left-hand opener had twice struck spinner Dumelow to the rope, the only scoring shots that the bowler conceded in his first seven overs, but was trapped leg before off the last ball of the seventh.
Mark James (16) spent fifty minutes at the crease as the hosts attempted to avoid defeat. R S Haider had entered the attack after twenty overs and claimed his second wicket by bowling Baker. Goode smacked a half-volley back to bowler Dumelow (14 overs, 2-21) and Percival pinned James leg before. When Brown nicked Haider behind to Clamp, the hosts were in deep trouble at 90 for 9 after the first ball of the fortieth over.
Opening bowler Percival was reintroduced but only succeeded in boosting the wides total (to 21) and it was left to Dumelow and Haider to exert maximum pressure and attempt to secure an away victory (plus an extra seven points). But Liversage (7no from 29 balls) and Nelson (9no from 36 balls) were determined to grind out a draw, only narrowly missing out on a batting point on 121 for 9.
Result: Quarndon 20 points, Rolleston 2 points.
