NEWLAND Casuals entertained a strong Broadwas team, who won the toss and elected to bat on an excellent batting wicket at North End Lane on Sunday.

NEWLAND CASUALS v BROADWAS

Jamie Longmore showed a welcome return to form with the ball having opener Wyatt well caught by Andy Hoddy in the covers for nought and then Howes succumbed to the same bowler pulling a ball to Emily Price at square leg.

New batsman Russ Knight then hit his second ball off Longmore to mid on, but the chance went down and this proved to be very costly.

Opener Birchley played a delightful innings caressing the ball around the wicket whilst Knight hit the ball hard to all parts of the ground and used the paddle sweep to great effect.

Birchley passed his century and then succumbed to young Adam Price with a well taken skier by Jamie Longmore. Knight fell three short of his century when he top edged Jamie Plant to Marek Wajzer at backward point and young Tom Clack picked up a well deserved wicket comprehensively bowling Porter for eight.

Skipper Kyte made a rapid 24 to take Broadwas to an impressive 292.

The Casuals were soon in trouble when Roy Mayo was bowled in the first over by Wildsmith, but Julian Hall and Robin Longmore then built a good partnership of 70 before Longmore was brilliantly caught at cover by Birchley just as he was starting to look threatening.

Hall took his score to 46 before he was bowled by Howse, but only Marek Wajzer troubled the scorer thereafter running out of partners and left on 15 as the innings capitulated and Broadwas finished victorious by 186 runs.

An excellent tea and a very sporting atmosphere made for a most enjoyable game despite the large victory margin and thanks go to match sponsor John Pugh of Three of a Kind Hairdressers.