Sessay eye fourth win on the spin
SESSAY are setting the pace in the York Senior League Premier Division, with a 100 per cent record going into their fourth fixture of the campaign.
Captain Stephen Langstaff said he had been thrilled by his team’s start to the season and called on them to maintain their strong form when they host Fenner tomorrow.
“It has been a good start to the season - even better than I anticipated,” he said.
“We have a pretty good side out at the moment, which is pleasing.
“I am not going to make any bold predictions, but we have got the points on the board and I’m delighted by that.”
He said he was expecting another tough match against Fenner, adding: “I have never seen them play before, but I hear they’re more a bowling than a batting team, so we will try to get a good score on the board to put pressure on them when we bowl.”
Langstaff has a full squad to choose from “for one of the few times this season”.
On Saturday, Sessay made it three wins out of three by beating newly-promoted Studley Royal.
Mark Wilkie (66) and Nick Harrison (71) helped Sessay to 200-5, before they bowled the Royals out for 174, Stuart Peirse taking 3-34 and Langstaff scalping 4-38.
The game had looked to be heading for a draw, before Sessay clinched the result off the penultimate delivery.
Rob Nicholson scored a half-century for Studley Royal, while former Ripon captain Gary Blackburn added 46. Ben Crewe was their best bowler, taking 3-52.
Sessay gained 30 points from the game, the Royals leaving with just five.
“It was a good result,” Langstaff said.
“We batted well, putting on 120 for the third wicket and though it wasn’t a match-winning total in itself, it was a decent score.
“Rob and Gary looked good for them and it was tight for a while, but thankfully we had enough to get the win.”
Langstaff was impressed with Studley, saying: “I think they will do well.
“They should survive and they could even get into the top half. They have a lot of talented players.”
On Sunday, Langstaff’s side beat Staithes in the National Village Knockout, scoring 202 before bowling out their opponents for 197 on the final ball.
Chris Till (41) and Jacob Spencer (28) top-scored with the bat, while Richard Hill took 4-41.
STUDLEY ROYAL continue their campaign with a home game against Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
Captain Steve Walmsley said: “They were bowled out for 49 at the weekend, but it could go either way, as they might bounce back.
“Hopefully we can win the toss, chuck them in and come away with 30 points.”
Walmsley said he had been disappointed to come away with just five points on Saturday, adding: “Too many of us, including myself, handed our wicket away rather than making them work for it.”
But he did praise bowler Ben Crewe’s performance in taking 3-52.
The Royals are expected to field the same 11 as on Saturday, Ben Coad remaining with Yorkshire Academy.
THIRSK drew with Dunnington at the weekend, scoring four points compared to their opponents’ 25.
Dunnington’s formidable West Indian batsmen Collis King (140) and Harwood Williams (110no) racked up a 222-run opening stand as their team made 308-1.
Thirsk responded by digging in for 173-5, Ryan McKendry hitting 36 and the Cook brothers John (33) and Mark (27) offering support. They travel to Clifton Alliance tomorrow.
In Division One, RIPON lost to Driffield 2nds by 118 runs.
Responding to Driffield’s 270-3, Ripon slipped to 152 all out, collecting just four points.
Former Yorkshire player Peter Squires contributed 29, but Adrian Long (4-41) and Jamie Nesfield (4-59) inflicted the damage with the ball.
Captain Paul Nel said: “We were a few players short, but we were expecting to come away with something more.
“Unfortunately they got off to a bit of a flyer and were on course for a high target for the word go, though we did well in the second half of their innings.
“When we got in to bat, we knew we had to try to push for the runs a bit and we lost a few wickets - you will either get close or fall well short, and we fell short.”
Ripon play Folkton & Flixton tomorrow, with Nel targeting a win.
“They are struggling like us and it’s quite an important game, giving us the chance to turn the corner,” he said.
“We need to get a few points and get the season going from here.”
Howard Wooding will return, though Matt Morton is absent again due to a hamstring injury.
“We were missing quite a few players at the weekend, but they were the two big ones: our lead bowler and our opening batsman,” Nel said.
The captain said he had been pleased with several individual performances so far, with Barry Kettlewell on top form, John Davy taking 10 wickets in three games and Nel himself scoring a 50, but that the team as a whole needed to up its game, especially with the bat.
rick.burin@ypn.co.uk
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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
Wind direction: South east
