Friendly match

Royston 218-7

Cokenach IIs 61 all-out

Royston win by 157 runs

THIRTEEN-year-old Ryan Judge shone for Royston on Saturday as the young bowler took four late wickets to help inflict a crushing defeat on Cokenach IIs in friendly on Saturday.

As both sides had no league fixture arranged, it had been decided that a mid-season friendly would be played, and after Royston’s excellent victory over close rivals Abington the previous week, a chance to get some extra practice in a more relaxing fixture was warmly welcomed.

Cokenach won the toss and put Royston in to bat, who opened the batting with Paul Leary and Chris Hootton, the latter being a slightly unusual choice for opening the innings, however it was one that paid off. The two of them started slowly, and not before long Leary was dismissed caught behind for four, however Hootton opened up and exhibited a vast array of shots in a surprising yet delightful innings of 44, until he was bowled in the 19th over with the score at 80-3.

Paul Miller joined Martin Leary at the crease, but the drinks break did for Leary’s concentration and he flashed at a wide one and was duly caught for 16. Miller pressed on, though, and ably supported by Ashley Judge the pair took the score to 141-4 at the 30-over mark until Miller finally perished to a sharp delivery from Thompson for a well made 55.

Judge and Martyn Tokley then rounded off the innings with some excellent late hitting, and the score rocketed to 196 with two overs remaining until Judge was finally caught out. Tokley punished the last two overs, though, and Royston ended on a very competitive 218-7 from their 40 overs.

Cokenach’s response never got going, as Fynn and Hall bowled with pace and bounce – the latter in particular proving to be most potent, ripping through the Cokenach top order and leaving them struggling at 26-5.

Youngsters Justin Leavers and Judge were then brought into the attack and bagged the Cokenach tail end in what was a very tight spell of bowling. Cokenach capitulated to 61 all-out in 24.4 overs with Hall finishing with 7-1-27-4 and Ryan Judge with impressive figures of 6.4-2-17-4.

Royston, as usual, were extremely tight in the field and an all-round dominant performance produced a very comfortable win. With confidence levels high Royston play host to Burrough Green this coming Saturday in another crucial mid-table encounter and will be looking to secure another victory.