June proves to be a month to forget for the Tigers
TAMWORTH fought doggedly to achieve a losing draw at Wellington on Saturday.
The result actually takes the Tigers up a place in the table, although their winless streak was extended to five matches.
Jason Jakeman replaced James Tomson in an otherwise unchanged side from the previous Saturday’s narrow defeat at home to Shifnal.
Ben Maddox won the toss and elected to field first under cloudy skies circling the Wrekin.
This decision appeared to be vindicated in the second over when opposition captain Daniel Vaughan was spectacularly caught by a diving Callum Render at mid on in the second over, from the bowling of Ed Smith.
The home side had yet to score at this point as Daniel Lloyd joined William David Lewin at the crease. The hosts struggled against tight bowling from Smith and James Wilkinson and had reached only 22 when Lewin was caught by Jacob Flower at second slip for three off the final ball of Wilkinson’s sixth over.
A crucial moment in the game occurred next over when Lloyd skied a delivery from Smith straight up in the air. Smith followed through to attempt the catch, but totally misjudged it and failed to land a hand on it, as Lloyd survived with his score on 16.
Smith partially made amends by bowling Luke Goring for one, leaving the hosts on 31-3 off 16 overs.
This brought 19-year-old UAE international Dhruv Parashar to the crease, and he gave solid support to Lloyd as they took the score to 78 -3 by the drinks interval.
They continued in a similar vein after the break, with the most notable incident being a stoppage for a particularly painful blow suffered by Wilkinson in the field, which received little sympathy from either players or spectators.
The pair both reached their halfcenturies and achieved the century partnership from 152 balls. Tom Kinson entertained the crowd with a remarkable piece of juggling in the field involving the use of his shoulder, back and the top of his head twice.
Shortly afterwards, Jason Jakeman tempted Parashar to drive straight to Suraj Chauhan for a stylish 67 off 88 balls, including 10 fours. Four balls later, the returning Wilkinson tempted Adithya Manigandan to give birthday boy Flower his second catch of the day, as he departed for just a single. New batter Hugh Morris never looked at ease and was out two overs later, edging Wilkinson to Ben Maddox for four.
Jakeman struck again next over, dismissing Ben Pilkington with a smart caught and bowled for two, leaving Wellington 177 -7 with five overs remaining.
Lloyd was in danger of time running out before he could reach his century as he started the last over on 91.
Following a single, he was still on 92 with three balls to go but drove Wilkinson
for a six before scarpering a two to complete his century from 154 balls, including seven fours and three sixes. Off the final ball, he was out caught by Joe Seager, giving Wilkinson a season’s best figures of 4-40 off 13 overs.
Chasing a target of 200 to win, the Tigers felt confident they could achieve their first away win of the season, but the teenage opening bowling attack of Ollie Smith and Hugh Morris bowled accurately and tightly, frustrating the opening pair of Render and Flower.
The score had only reached six when Flower was caught at the second attempt by wicket-keeper Dan Pilkington for two off Smith. Scott Daly joined Render as they took the total to 31 before Daly was bowled by Morris for seven in the 11th over. Two overs later, Render was out caught by Parashar off Morris for 23, and the Tigers were in trouble at 32-3.
Riley Ward and Jason Jakeman batted sensibly against the Shropshire side’s spinners and had almost reached the drinks interval when Ward was given out to the only lbw of the day for 27 with the score at 79. Jakeman and Chauhan continued patiently, adding another 30 runs before the former gave a caught and bowled to Parashar with his score on 34.
Four overs later, Chauhan who had resisted the temptation to attack the spinners, finally succumbed and was caught by Goring at mid on off the bowling of Parashar for 13.
Ed Smith, who had been handed a boundary by a misfield by Hugh Morris, was dismissed next ball to an outstanding catch from the same fielder, diving to his left on the midwicket boundary.
The Tigers were now 119-7 in the 41st over, requiring nearly six an over to win, with only three wickets left. Joe Seager and Ben Maddox decided to settle for the draw and batted out the overs comfortably with Seager 28 not out and Maddox two not out off 43 balls with an innings that Chris Tavare would have been proud of.
Tigers finished on 149-7 off 55 overs and claimed six points which was enough to move them up to eighth in the table.
This Saturday they travel to Kidderminster, who are 25 points below them, where it will be another “must not lose” game.