Boulton wickets boost Steeton

3:31pm Thursday 1st May 2008

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Steeton continued their excellent start to the 2008 season with a victory at home against Upper Wharfedale.

Batting first Upper Wharfedale used all 50 overs to score 154 runs, thanks largely to opener Dave Eggleton who scored 46 runs.

Steeton's Gary Boulton was again in impressive form with the ball, as he collected his second five-wicket haul of the season.

Boulton was 5-69 from 16 overs. Alex Gledhill also bowled well and collected two wickets at a cost of 21 runs.

The other bowlers to collect wickets were Neil Spragg (1-19) and Andrew Luxton (1-25).

Behind the stumps Neil Wilson was in sparkling form as he had two stumpings and a catch.

Steeton's reply started steadily with an opening stand of 44 runs between Richard Atkins (15) and Andrew Luxton (24).

South African Ian Page chipped in with 11 runs, but at 89-5 after 33 overs the match was turning in favour of Upper Wharfedale.

For Upper Wharfedale, Eggleton took 4-56 to add to his 46 runs with the bat.

Steeton's John Akrigg was once again in defiant mood as he top scored with an unbeaten 45 scored from 81 deliveries with one six and six fours. Akrigg shared a match-winning sixth-wicket partnership of 69 runs with skipper Jon Best. Best scored an aggressive 31 not out from 47 balls with six boundaries.

Before the match there had been a minute of silence in memory of Roy Barrett (and Steeton wore black armbands) and their would have been no-one happier than Roy to see Best crash consecutive boundaries from the bowling of ex-Steeton player Steve Pearson to complete this victory with nine balls to spare.

Steeton scored 158-5 from 48.3 overs to win by five wickets and collect all six points from this first-ever fixture against Upper Wharfedale.

This Saturday Steeton play away to Tong Park.