Juniors March On As U13s Beat Swardeston

GREAT MELTON U13s beat SWARDESTON U13s by 40 runs at Hilltops in the Alan Bridgewater Cup

The U13s continued Great Melton Juniors barnstorming start to the season with another victory – this time against their local rivals, Swardeston.  Tom Moye and Kyle Weston (13) built a solid platform with an opening partnership of 42 before Moye and Fergus Hughes played some delightful shots in an unbroken second-wicket stand that ended when Hughes retired having reached 32.  A sixth boundary for Moye brought up his 30 and, by the time Aimee Palmer's dismissal gave Swardeston a second wicket, Melton had 133 on the board, Aimee having hit a six in her brief 11.  Luke Richard's fell to an excellent catch off his own bowling by Cullins and Patrick Walton went for a duck but Craig Wilson and Matt Carter scrambled some late runs to enable Melton to post a daunting 139-4, Cullins taking 2-8 from his one over.

Craig Wilson then bowled Grisewood with his first ball but Ashkent batted very well in scoring an unbeaten 35.  Cullins, with 17, and Hodgson who hit 3 sixes in his 22, threatened briefly but tight bowling and good fielding kept boundaries to a minimum and the home side were always behind the required run rate as wickets kept tumbling.  Wilson finished with 2-13, Palmer 1-14, Richards 1-15 and Moye 1-10 in 3 excellent overs as Swardeston finished 40 runs short on 99-6.

Steve Phoenix