Ken ensures Royston finish with a flourish

ROYSTON Cricket Club ended their season on a high as they defeated Yelling by seven wickets at the Recreation Ground on Saturday. The result secured a fourth-place finish for the Crows, in the Cheffins CCA Senior Division 2. Royston won the toss and elect

ROYSTON Cricket Club ended their season on a high as they defeated Yelling by seven wickets at the Recreation Ground on Saturday.

The result secured a fourth-place finish for the Crows, in the Cheffins CCA Senior Division 2.

Royston won the toss and elected to bowl first, but had to wait until the 20th over to take their first wicket, Matt Gilham snaring opener I Reed lbw for 20.

Fellow opener D Walker continued to score the runs at the top of Yelling's innings, before his eventual dismissal, again lbw by Gilham, for 85.

This proved to be the turning point for Royston, who went on to take a further five wickets and restrict their opponents to 194-7.

The pick of Royston's bowlers was Richard Temple, who finished with figures of 12-0-30-3.

And as well as two wickets for Gilham, Chris Hootton, Naveed Ahmad, and Chris Milton each took one scalp.

Royston's reply did not get off to the best of starts, with Martin Leary trapped lbw for 16.

But then Royston chairman Ken Graham anchored the innings and played some fine strokes for a deserved half-century.

Graham was eventually dismissed by S Johnson for 86, but by this point Royston were within sight of their target.

Paul Miller (29) and Matt Graham (32) knocked off the remaining runs, to give Royston a seven-wicket victory with five overs remaining.