Report: Super Sean Snares Seven

Carlisle 101 all out lost to Dumfries Sunday Dev XI 102 for 4

It was the Thornely show on Sunday as the Dumfries Sunday Development side won their final Eden Valley League encounter at Carlisle in a game that showcased a special seven wicket bowling performance from youngster Sean Thornely.

Carlisle chose to bat first but it was the Dumfries team that got on the front foot. Buoyed by his award of Club Young Player of the Year the day before, plus a score of sixty odd not out, Sean tore through the top order. Starting with a wicket and double wicket maidens, he rapidly reduced Carlisle to 8 for 4 wickets, including a caught and bowled.

Carlisle recovered to nearly forty with a Mclindon pairing but Dave Lightfoot removed one lbw and Vaughn Staples spun out the other. Another useful partnership was then halted when Mat Williams took a stumping off Aiden Goodin.

Numbers eight and nine contributed the top scores, with Aidan Turner hitting 22, as Dumfries contended with being one fielder short on the day as Carlisle moved on to 89 for 7. However Sean Thornely had returned for his second spell and he picked off the remaining three wickets and finished with the remarkable bowling figures of 7.4 overs 7 wickets for 10 runs, which included two great catches by Max Corbett-Byers and Adam Malik. Carlisle had got past the hundred and ended on 101 all out.

Dumfries could feel confident with a productive opening pairing in the league but both were calamitously run out and with a first baller removing number three the visitors were also in difficulties at 10 for 3. However junior Max Corbett-Byers and Sam Thornely both applied themselves and steadily put together a partnership to take the score past fifty and then up to 80 for 3. At which point Max could consider himself somewhat unfortunate to be run out for backing up by the incoming bowler for a gritty innings of 22.

Appropriately though Sean joined his dad to help see the winning total reached for the loss of just four wickets with Sam finishing with a resolute 42 not out. Yes, Sean Thornely was the Dumfries Player of the Match.

That completed a second season for the Club in the Sunday league with, this time, the side finishing in the lower half with four wins, four losses and two drawn matches. The fixtures also served the aim of younger player development with, in particular, Sean topping the league's wicket takers with 26 wickets and Adam Malik the league's top run scorer with 6 retirals on fifty and with a batting average of 365! Mat Williams was not far behind in contributing 246 runs and Aiden Goodin and Callum Reynolds-Lewis each claimed 12 and 11 wickets respectively.

Carlisle 101 all out (31.4 overs)

A Turner 22; Sean Thornely 7.4 overs 7 for 10

Vaughn Staples 1 for 11, Aiden Goodin 1 for 21, David Lighfoot 1 for 24

Dumfries Sunday Dev XI 102 for 4 (29.1 overs)

Sam Thornely 42 not out, Max Corbett-Byers 22

Online scorecard
dumfriescc.play-cricket.com/website/results/3962300