A LACK-LUSTRE performance saw Royston lose at home to March on Saturday. The fixture pitted third against fourth in an end of season match that carried little importance with Royston winning the toss, and electing to bowl. The home side were dealt a blow

A LACK-LUSTRE performance saw Royston lose at home to March on Saturday.

The fixture pitted third against fourth in an end of season match that carried little importance with Royston winning the toss, and electing to bowl.

The home side were dealt a blow in the second over when Chris Hootton was forced to withdraw from the attack with an injury, and while Richard Temple and Martin Leary toiled, the fielding was devoid of conviction, and as a result Royston were guilty of conceding too many sloppy extras.

And it took Royston 13 overs to make a breakthrough, with Stone edging behind from the spin of Matt Gillham for 20.

However, despite employing all of their bowling options the extras still flowed for Royston as Leary, Judge, Harris, Trimble and Graham all attempted to rein the visitors in.

It wasn't until the 30th over that the next wicket fell, as Paul Harris bowled Brian for 34, as March progressed to 130 for 2.

Chris Trimble then took a stretching catch to dismiss opener Wenman for 52 from Matt Graham's bowling, and Royston began to haul March in. Two run outs in one over saw the visitors reduced to 188 for 6, with Richard Temple showing the best economy of 1.5 runs per over from his 12.

March ended on 200, with Royston doing relatively well to prevent a massive total.

However, the home side will be disappointed with the 59 extras conceded, with the March batsmen scoring only 141 off the bat.

Royston's reply was slow and steady, but it didn't take long for the visiting bowlers to get on top, with a run rate of 1.4 for the first 10 overs.

The spiralling run rate began to tell, as Martin Leary was caught for 14, while Paul Miller came in to try and force the issue, but the going was tough and he was unfortunate to be bowled by a shooter for 8.

Ashley Judge was promoted in order to boost the scoring and did just that with a quick-fire 14, before both Paul Harris and Martyn Leek fell cheaply in trying to attack the monotonous bowling attack, leaving opener Matt Graham to make his 50.

Graham fell soon after as he started throw his bat about, eventually bowled for a patient 56. John Bason and Richard Temple were left with a salvage job and they ended on 8 and 13 respectively.

The Crows ended on 143 after 45 overs, lamenting their below par performance in the field as it would have been a close finish without the 59 extras.

Royston will look to go out with a win in Saturday's season finale at home to Yelling.