Bromsgrove RFC 138-7
Bromsgrove Sporting 118-8
Battle of the Boars Trophy
Report by Phil Baker
BROMSGROVE RFC gained a deserved revenge against their footballing rivals when they won the annual T20 cricket match between the two sides by 18 runs.
Last year’s competition was revived after a long absence when Sporting gained a comfortable win but this year, the rugby lads turned up with a better team in all departments.
Jon Critchlow and James Martin opened the batting for the Boars and had a fortunate start as four byes went past wicket-keeper Aaron Roberts on the first ball and survived a near catch off the last ball of the first over.
However, the openers went on to put 28 on for the first wicket before John Pykett bowled Martin for 12.
There followed a fight-back by the Rouslers who then took five cheap wickets including two by Sporting’s physio and Worcestershire Women player Emma Waters.
Boars’ director of rugby Dan Protherough then got his team back into the match with an unbeaten 42 which included eight boundaries to post his team a respectable but beatable 138.
In reply Roberts was not having a good evening and hooked the ball onto his stumps from the second delivery but Pykett and Neil Leech made the Boars struggle as they moved the score up to 44 before the latter was caught out.
Avoncroft batsman Andy Nicol scored a useful 16 but the real breakthrough was when Pykett was caught by Brynn Williams off Critchlow’s bowling for 45.
Three quick wickets followed for few runs leaving the footballers needing 22 off the last over.
Protherough then took two more wickets and although Emma Waters scored a four with her only delivery off the last ball, the Rouslers remained 18 runs behind.
Jeff Rea, president of Sporting, presented the winning trophy to the Boars on behalf of David Wellington, president of the rugby club and himself.
Thanks were made to Bromsgrove Cricket Club for hosting the event.
