Cokenach (152-7) beat Cambridge NCI (89 all out) by 63 runs After a week of rain, Cokenach visited Cambridge NCI for their second clash of the season. Having beaten NCI in their home match and currently sitting in fifth place in the league, this was a mu

Cokenach (152-7) beat Cambridge NCI (89 all out) by 63 runs

After a week of rain, Cokenach visited Cambridge NCI for their second clash of the season.

Having beaten NCI in their home match and currently sitting in fifth place in the league, this was a must-win match for Cokenach to push themselves back into promotion contention.

Cokenach lost the toss on a wet wicket and were put into bat. However, they made a solid start with Matt Stevens (43) and John Gill (27) putting on 73 for the first wicket before John Gill was out lbw on the last ball before drinks.

After the break though the run rate started to dry up and, with the loss of Stevens, Cokenach progressed to 83-2 off 26 overs. The pitch was becoming more and more difficult to bat on, as the ball became softer and the pitch began to cut up.

With the loss of Titcomb, Seale, Yandell and Ford, James Keel (17), Alex Thompson (26no) and Rob Stone (4no) were left with a repair job to give Cokenach a respectable total, which they finally reached on 152-7 off their 40 overs.

In reply, NCI got off to a difficult start with Yandell and Keel removing both their openers with the score on seven.

Despite losing a further wicket, NCI's Australian batsman began to attack before a tactical reshuffle allowed Yandell to switch ends and clean bowl him. This left the door open now and, with the left arm spin of Dominic Titcomb (3-23) and the pace of Ford and Keel, NCI were bowled out for 89.

Cokenach took home with them a valuable 20 points and the result allowed them back into the title race moving up to third in the table. This now leaves an intriguing clash set up this coming week with second-placed Eversden visiting Cokenach.