Beleaguered Ripon eye change of luck
INJURIES and unavailability are playing havoc with Ripon's York Senior League campaign this term, and skipper Paul Nel is hoping their luck will turn around sooner rather than later.
The Studley Road boys are yet to secure their first Division One win of the season, and were felled by eight wickets at home to table leaders Hull Zingari on Saturday to remain bottom of the pile.
But they are picking up points here and there, last week’s losing draw with Clifton Alliance their latest haul, something Nel believes could stand them in good stead come the end of the season.
“There have been a lot of injuries; our opening bowler’s been out for half the games, the opening bat’s missed a few and there’s been a lot of work issues too,” said Nel
“It’s just been on of those unfortunate things.
“We started the season off looking to mould a first XI that could do well this year and then build on that next season, but we haven’t been able to put out the same XI every week.
“I was speaking to the Hull captain on Saturday and he said that was the first game they’d played all season where they hadn’t got their first XI out.
“You look can see the difference that makes when you look at the table; that tells a big story.
“It’s been a challenge.We need to fight hard and make sure that where we can’t win the game, we need to at least get a draw and pick up as many points as we can.
“Against Clifton the other week, we stopped them getting full points and made sure we picked up 14 instead of eight.
“If we can keep doing that, hopefully by the end of the season we’ll have worked our way up a few places.”
Nick Harland (42) and Paul Sorby (26) made useful contributions against leaders Zingari, but Matt Scarr’s 5-25 helped dismiss Ripon for 114.
Skipper Ali Markham then steered his ship home for maximum points at 115-2 in reply.
“It was always going to be a tough game, we had a few players missing and our opening bowler out and then lost the toss,” said Nel.
“Things didn’t go according to plan and we were comprehensively beaten.”
The captain believes tomorrow’s hosts York 2nds present an opportunity to pick up much-needed points, and hopes to welcome Peter Squires and Howard Wooding back to the order.
But he expects to be without both his opening bowler Matthew Morton and opening bat Andy Banks for the contest as injuries again take their toll.
“York are mid-table, their ground is a flat deck and that sort of wicket should suit us,” said Nel
“We’ve just got to go there and try and take a few points off them.
“Fortunately we’ve got a few guys back, but Matthew is out with a hamstring problem again.
“He came back from that for two games but he’ll be out for another five or six weeks now.
“We’ve got Peter Squires and Howard Wooding coming back but our opening bat Andy Banks is now injured and that looks like a knee ligament problem which could take some time to recover from.”
One silver lining for Ripon this summer has been the impressive Nidderdale League form of both their second and third teams.
With his own side faltering, Nel might have been tempted to raid the reserves but he’s determined to make sure that the first team’s troubles don’t become everybody else’s.
“The second and third teams have had some good results lately; the seconds beat Killinghall and the thirds are through to their knockout cup semi-finals,” he said.
“They’ve got some good players
but it is a big step-up from the Nidderdale League to the York Senior League, and important that we don’t weaken those sides just because the first team is struggling.
“The feeling around the club is still pretty positive. It just needs that one thing to kick-start our season; either an umpire’s decision or toss of coin, and we’ll be able to lift ourselves up to mid-table.”
SESSAY emerged with local bragging rights against derby rivals Thirsk on Saturday, crushing the Newsham Road men by ten wickets.
Mark Wilkie emerged as the star of the afternoon, capturing a tremendous 8-18 to skittle Thirsk for 104 with only Des Wyrill (39) able to make resistance.
Wilkie then crashed an undefeated 64 alongside John Flintoff (32no) to fire Sessay to victory at 109 without loss, and drop Thirsk to the bottom of the table.
“It was a very pleasing result,” said skipper Stephen Langstaff.
“Mark bowled the best spell of his life to finish with eight wickets and I’m just really pleased for him.
“He gives up a lot for the club and travels up from Leeds every week so Saturday was a great reward for him.”
Sessay host unknown quantity Goole Town tomorrow.
“We haven’t played them for quite some time so they’re a side we don’t know too much about,” said Langstaff.
“We’re a bit short of bodies this weekend, Nick Fox and Nick Harrison are both away, so we’ll have to rotate the pack and put in a good performance.”
There was an added bonus for Sessay on Sunday, as they reached the last 32 of the National Village Knockout, after beating Harome.
“To be in the top four at this stage of the season and in the national rounds of the Village Knockout is fantastic,” added Langstaff.
“I just hope we can keep it going.”
THIRSK travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
STUDLEY ROYAL had a weekend of mixed results, earning a good draw at Easingwold on Saturday before losing to Dunnington in the first ever league game to be staged on a Sunday.
The Royals accrued a mammoth 296-4 thanks to a third-wicket stand off 117 between Rob Nicholson (133) and Gary Blackburn (58).
Skipper Steve Walmsley chipped in with 32 and Charlie Scatchard 45, before Blackburn (3-74) and Ben Crewe (3-60) limited their hosts to 237-8 in reply.
Dunnington were not to be denied on Sunday, Collis King (105no) and Dave Johnson (53) steering their side to 207-3 in reply to Studley’s 206-8, of which Walmsley provided 49 and Nicholson 38.
Studley host leaders Clifton tomorrow.
PREMIER DIVISIONpldpts
Clifton Alliance9212
Dunnington9212
Woodhouse Grange 9199
Sessay 9191
Studley Royal 9171
Easingwold 9168
Goole Town 9125
Acomb 9119
Stamford Bridge 9116
Beverley Town 9113
Fenner 9107
Thirsk 990
DIVISION ONE
Hull Zingari 9237
Hornsea 9186
Pickering 9 184
York II 9176
Driffield II 9 163
Sheriff Hutton Br. 9155
Heworth 9 148
Londesborough Park 9139
Bridlington 9 139
Folkton & Flixton 9125
Clifton Alliance II 9121
Ripon 955
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Weather for Ripon
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light snow
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
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