Defeat, forfeit controversy and a home win – a rollercoaster few weeks for Westbury!

Sat. 30th June. West of England League Wilts & Glos Premier 2
Biddestone CC – 235 – 8 Westbury – 232 All Out

Sat. 7th July. West of England League Wilts & Glos Premier 2
Lechlade CC 286 – 7 Westbury – 0 – 0

Sat. 14th July. West of England League Wilts & Glos Premier 2
Westbury – 173 – 6 Burbage & Easton Royal CC 126 All Out

THERE’s been mixed fortune on the green for Westbury Cricket Club in recent weeks.
At the end of June, the team suffered their fourth successive league defeat away to Biddestone. The following week there was controversy against Lechlade when Westbury was said to have forfeited the match when they did not return to the field after the break for second innings, following a controversy over the England football quarter-final against Sweden.
However, there was finally some good news for Westbury cricket fans last weekend when the team triumphed at home against Burbage & Easton Royal.

Biddestone

Christopher Lack reports, “On Saturday 30th June, Westbury travelled to play local rivals Biddestone in the latest West of England League Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Premier 2 Division, hoping to avoid losing their fourth game in a row.
“Westbury made two changes from last week’s defeat against Trowbridge, with Kane Scott and James Dark coming in for the unavailable Alex Senneck and Tom Lucas. Westbury won the toss and immediately decided to bat first. They opened with Coles and Esau but they made a bad start when Esau was dismissed leg before for 0 off the bowling of Isitt with the score at 0. Coles was then joined at the wicket by Mills and, taking their time, they gradually got on top, with the 50 coming up in the 15th over. When the total reached 60, Biddestone struck for the second time when Mills was caught at square leg by Pritchett off the bowling Jacques for 19. Shortly after Mills was dismissed, Coles reached his 50 off 72 balls. Coles was then joined by Burdock and they started to score quickly, taking the total to 126 when Burdock was out leg before by Boulton for 19. When the total reached 158 Coles completed his second league 100 of the season off 108 balls, but shortly afterwards he was dismissed for 117 leg before by Flynn with the total at 176.
“Once Coles was dismissed the innings struggled mainly due to some tidy bowling by the Biddestone attack. Eventually Westbury were dismissed for 232 off their allotted 50 overs. Tyrone Isitt 4-23 had the best figures, ably supported by Jacques 2-31 and Flynn 2-31.
“When Biddestone batted they made a confident start but when the total reached 30, Westbury struck by having Perry caught at slip off the bowling of Carroll for 11. Baker then arrived at the wicket and he and Flynn continued scoring quickly off the Westbury bowlers. With the total at 83 Westbury struck for the second time when young Joe Willis bowled baker for 17. Shortly afterwards, Westbury had Flynn caught by Dickinson off the Westbury captain Coles for 19. The lower order led by the Biddestone captain Panes took their team to a 2 wicket win in the 49th over.”

Lechlade

Westbury travelled to Lechlade on Saturday 7th July, hoping to bring to an end their losing streak.
Lechlade won the toss and went to bat first, racking up 287 runs from 50 overs – with Mark Jefferson the top scorer at 150 runs.
However, after the break, the game came to an abrupt halt when it was decided that Westbury had forfeited the game when they did not return to the green. It is understood that there was a disagreement about allowing for a longer break so players and officials could watch England’s World Cup quarter-final match against Sweden.
Westbury have yet to release an official statement about the events. But Lechlade posted the following statement on their website, “With no clear agreement in place about extending the tea interval to watch the football an unseemly argument developed between the teams, resulting ultimately in Westbury packing their bags and going home. An excellent afternoon of cricket ruined by some immature behaviour and a lack of forward planning.”
It is believed that the West of England Premier League will look into the incident.

Burbage & Easton Royal

Putting behind them their recent defeats and the controversy at Lechlade, Westbury welcomed Burbage & Easton Royal cricket club on Saturday 14th July.
Westbury won the toss and elected to bat first. With strong performances from Richard Mills (40 runs) and Remano Esau (45 runs), Westbury ended their innings with 173 runs for 6 after 50 overs.
After the break, Westbury’s bowlers piled on the pressure for Burbage & Easton Royal’s batters, with only Jonathan Chandler managing to stay on the green long enough to rack up 51 runs.
With Burbage & Easton Royal all out for 126, Westbury celebrated their first win in weeks.
Next up for Westbury is Thornbury at home on Saturday 21st July and then away to Corsham on Saturday 28th July.