The first home game of the season on Monday evening and a convincing 7 wicket win for Dumfries Under 15s over Lanercost Under 15s in the Cumbria Junior Cricket League put them top of the league.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat. Straight away they looked to dominate Katy Anderson’s first over with 7 coming off it. Sean Thornely took the Railway End but immediately struck by taking out the opening bats in two successful balls, the first a good catch to Katy and the second a clean bowled, unfortunately the hat-trick ball was dropped in the slips

The new batsmen, Jack Mitchelson, continued the aggression, though, and hit two sixes off Katy’s next over and a four off Sean’s. With the score quickly moving on to the thirties after four overs, a run-rate of 8 per over, the top order had obviously been watching Chris Gayle in the current Cricket World Cup.

But with the aggression came risks, Sean’s next over removed Mitchelson LBW after a close appeal the previous ball. The bowling change of James Hobman and Aiden Goodin brought more wickets in their first overs too, Hobman bowled the number 4 for 6 and Goodin bowled the number 6 for 4.

Another bowling change, this time Mathew McBurnie, also brought an instant wicket, Bradshaw caught Thornely for 4. The next over and a good run out took out the number 5 for a duck. Lanercost, after their blistering start were now teetering at 52 for 7 and it looked like they would be home a bit earlier than expected.

This all changed with a stalwart rear-guard action by the tail. Hannah Proud (15 not out) stuck like a limpet and allowed her partner Sharpe to hit a quick 16 with 3 boundaries, albeit with some sloppy fielding in the deep by Dumfries and more dropped catches. Mathew dealt with it his own way by clean bowling him. That brought Wood to the crease who added another 10 before the end of the innings. The three tail-enders doubled the total and the target for the home team was now a respectable 106 after the 20 overs.

James Little and Fergus Bainbridge got the Doonhamers off to a sensible but productive start against some fairly tight bowling. James opened up first and hit a lovely back foot forcing shot for four, usually a rare sight at this level. The partnership put on 35 runs in 7 overs before Little perished to a high full toss and was caught and bowled for 17.

Thornely and Bainbridge continued to bat carefully and put on another 20 runs in four overs before Bainbridge skied in the air to silly mid-off and went for a single, the catch was dropped but the opener was sent back and was easily run out trying to get back into his ground.

James Hobman and Thornely put on another 37 runs (many of them coming from wides), after a couple of drops. James was caught for 10 going for a lofted drive. At 95 for 3 it was left to Max Corbett-Byers and Sean to get the team over the line, with only 2 overs to go and 11 needed, the chase had got closer than anyone had anticipated but the pair were let off the hook when the next over went for 10, 5 from extras alone.

A much more exciting game resulted due to some great tail end batting by Lanercost, some mediocre Dumfries fielding and catching (in places) and a cautious run-chase. Certainly, the bowling was much more accurate (the Dumfries extras were down from previous matches) and the batting more focused. Dumfries now top the league but will probably have to win all their remaining matches to stay there. The next home game is Monday 17th June.

Dumfries Under 15s: 106 for 3 (19.3 overs) (10 points)
Sean Thornely 21*, James Little 17, Fergus Bainbridge 12, James Hobman 10
Lanercost Under 15s: 105 for 8 (20 overs) (4 points)
Sean Thornely 3 for 17, Mathew McBurnie 2 for 5, James Hobman 1 for 6, Aiden Goodin 1 for 20