Weekend Round-Up – June 7 / 8
Preston 4s vs Letchworth 5s
Unfortunately, the Preston 1s, 2s and 3s’ matches were all halted by rain. However, the 4th team took away a quick and sublime victory against Letchworth Garden City’s 5th XI before the rain came down! Letchworth won the toss and elected to bat, but a collective bowling effort from Preston bowled them out for 79 in 34.1 overs. The collective experience of Andrew Riant and Srini Nanjundan proved too mighty for the Letchworth batters, with Riant taking 4-22 of his 7 overs and Nanjundan taking a staggering 3-6 of 8 overs. Preston’s superb bowling effort meant that it was an easy chase for their batsmen, chasing the total of 79 down and sealing victory by nine wickets. The 4s’ victory amid the rain on Saturday is undoubtedly a statement for their rivals in Division 12 East, taking them up to 3rd on the points table! The game was stopped at one point to attend to a nasty facial injury to one of the Letchworth CC players. We hear all on the mend and we wish the young player a speedy recovery.
Preston Sunday 2s vs Watton-at-Stone CC
Despite a 2-run loss to Watton-at-Stone, there were many positives to take out of Sunday’s game for Preston. The 4th XI on Saturday showcased Preston’s experience, but on Sunday, it was Preston’s youngsters who emphasized the club’s promising future ahead. Watton-at-Stone won the toss and batted first and were bowled out for 155, notably by Harry Fleckney, who took an impressive 3-24 of 8 overs. Fleckney, only 11 years old, showed on Sunday that he will be a mainstay at Preston for years to come! In Preston’s batting reply, they lost marginally by 2 runs. However, it was Dillon Beattie, aged 15, who scored 53 of 99 balls, anchoring the Preston innings so close to the total. It was a knock that showed maturity beyond his years!
The weekend was thwarted by rain, but the two matches played by Preston reflected a club with outstanding depth, with great performances coming from players of all ages!