Last updated at 10:02, Friday, 18 September 2009

The final game of the Northumberland Cricket League season saw Stocksfield host local rivals Corbridge.

Local rivalry: Action from Saturday’s final game of the season between Stocksfield and Corbridge.

On a day with stunning blue sky and temperatures reminding us of how summer should be, Corbridge elected to field.

It was a decision that surprised Stocksfield but it was grasped with both hands as they set off at a quick pace with Armstrong and Ayre using the speed of the outfield to gain full value for their shots.

Armstrong was then dismissed by Hardy for 28.

The innings continued to progress with Andy Oliver joining Ayre to take the score towards 80 before Oliver fell to Newton. The very next ball saw Alex Brown dismissed.

Adrian Marrison and Ayre stemmed the tide and thereafter, runs came frequently at a steady pace.

Ayre was to finally fall for 42, and thereafter the lower order all chipped in with good scores notably Marrison (30) Andy Wood (25), and Emerson Brown (18). Ben Sweeney added 27n.o which included two fours from the final two balls to conclude the innings on 222 for 9 from the allotted 50 overs.

Newton was the pick of the Corbridge bowlers with figures of 3 for 48.

The Corbridge reply never really got going as they lost both openers in the first six overs.

Thereafter wickets fell at regular intervals, with only one partnership of note between John Maude and Andy Dover.

Maude was eventually dismissed after stubborn resistance and Dover was left to watch as his colleagues were gradually dismissed one by one.

Dover reached a well deserved 50 before holing out to Alex Brown on the school boundary off the bowling of brother Emerson for 59.

It was left for Andy Wood 4-21 and Emerson Brown to take the final two wickets and dismiss Corbridge for 127, sending the large crowd that had amassed during the day from the village show home happy and finish the season in fourth place.

First published at 09:50, Friday, 18 September 2009
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk