Luddington produced a battling performance to earned them a 12 run victory over Barton Academy Vikings in Amazing Smile NLL Division Two.
Luddington won the toss and chose to bat first. They got off to a very good start as a combination of excellent batting from Joe Woolhouse and an array of wides and no balls saw them reach 45 in just seven overs.
The Vikings responded with some much better bowling from that moment on but the score had reached 58 before they picked up their first wicket when Darren Clark was trapped LBW by Liam Parker having scored nine.
Woolhouse had been the more dominant of the pair but he was soon back in the pavilion, caught by Goerge Phillips off Tom Palin for an impressive 36.
Mick Wills was then adjudged LBW by the same bowler and suddenly the scoreboard had a different look to it at 63-3.
Gareth Parkin and Andy Lawson took the score to 74 then the latter was bowled by George Short for four and Parkin was soon out for nine - caught by Harry Short.
Jamie Arrowsmith was next to go, caught by George Short off the impressive Palin with the score standing at 92.
Graham Clark and Rick Green then put together a much needed 16 runs before the former was trapped LBW for 10.
Parker returned at the end of the innings to pick up two quick wickets then Palin grabbed his fifth when having Matthew Mellers caught by Danny Harris, leaving Luddington all out for 125 and Rick Green not out on 16.
Tom Palin ended with 5-42 and Liam Parker 3-30.
Vikings’ reply got off to a very poor start as Mellers, back from injury, picked up the wickets of both openers - Mark Austin and George Short with just seven on the board.
James Austin threatened to blast Barton to victory with a quickfire 13 only to be bowled by slow bowler Arron Curry which made it 26-3.
Curry followed that by trapping Alan Sanderson infront of his stumps for 14 leaving the home side on 38-4.
Old head George Phillips and young gun Parker then put together a much-needed partnership taking the total to 77 before Parker, having hit five boudaries in his score of 24, failed to pick Clark’s quicker delivery and was bowled neck and crop.
Phillips then gifted an easy catch to Woolhouse off Curry for 17 and suddenly Luddington found themselves back in the hunt, particulary when Clark bowled Harry Short without scoring then had Palin given LBW with the total on 95.
Home skipper Andy Genney hit three boudaries to push the Vikings past three figures but he perished at the hands of Curry who bowled him for 18 to put Ludd in line for a hard earned victory - which duly arrived when Curry leapt to take a catch and bowled from Jack Waller which left the Vikings twelve runs short of their target.
Curry finished with 4-36 and fellow spin twin Darren Clark 3-36, but credit should also go to Matthew Mellers who took 3-22 at the top of the innings.
This win moves Luddington into second spot behind Outcasts whose win at Messingham saw them climb to the top.
Ludd will be sweating on the availability of skipper Gareth Parkin, the big hitting Andy Lawson and the important middle order all-rounder Rick Green - who all picked up injuries - for their next scheduled game against Alkborough.
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