GREAT MELTON U13s beat SWARDESTON U13s by 40 runs at Hilltops in the Alan Bridgewater Cup

The U13s continued Great Melton Juniors barnstorming start to the season with another victory – this time against their local rivals, Swardeston.  Tom Moye and Kyle Weston (13) built a solid platform with an opening partnership of 42 before Moye and Fergus Hughes played some delightful shots in an unbroken second-wicket stand that ended when Hughes retired having reached 32.  A sixth boundary for Moye brought up his 30 and, by the time Aimee Palmer’s dismissal gave Swardeston a second wicket, Melton had 133 on the board, Aimee having hit a six in her brief 11.  Luke Richard’s fell to an excellent catch off his own bowling by Cullins and Patrick Walton went for a duck but Craig Wilson and Matt Carter scrambled some late runs to enable Melton to post a daunting 139-4, Cullins taking 2-8 from his one over.

Craig Wilson then bowled Grisewood with his first ball but Ashkent batted very well in scoring an unbeaten 35.  Cullins, with 17, and Hodgson who hit 3 sixes in his 22, threatened briefly but tight bowling and good fielding kept boundaries to a minimum and the home side were always behind the required run rate as wickets kept tumbling.  Wilson finished with 2-13, Palmer 1-14, Richards 1-15 and Moye 1-10 in 3 excellent overs as Swardeston finished 40 runs short on 99-6.

Steve Phoenix