Rollercoaster weekend for Woodhouse Grange Cricket Club

Jonty Atkinson on his way to 66 not out for Woodhouse 2nds against Driffield, then followed up with another unbeaten half century the next day. PHOTO BY PHIL GILBANK

The 1st XI was pipped at Driffield on Saturday, but followed with an excellent cup success over Doncaster the next day, writes Phil Gilbank.

The seconds had two convincing victories, while the thirds just lost cliffhangers in league and cup.

Woodhouse 1sts exceeded expectations to bowl out Driffield for 177 in the Yorkshire Premier League North Premier, their spinners sharing nine of the wickets.

But the reply swung one way, then the other before they ended just two runs short on 175-9.

In their coloured cup kit on Sunday, Woodhouse saw Doncaster build a 40-over total of 205, Chris Suddaby and Rich Walton taking seven of the wickets.

Once again Woodhouse saw a fluctuating chase, opener Harry Gamble’s 60 setting a platform but a flurry of mid-innings wickets giving Doncaster the advantage until Tom Neal clubbed two 37th over sixes then left Chris Wood to stroke the winning boundary.

Woodhouse 2nds had few anxieties in continuing unbeaten, vanquishing Driffield 2nds on Saturday and thrashing Rockliffe Park in the National Village Cup’s regional final on Sunday.

Against Driff they started slowly before Jonty Atkinson (66 not out) steered them to 204-6, then Driff were bowled out for 138 by Ted Baty's 5-35.

Hosting Rockliffe from Darlington, Woodhouse creamed 298-3, Matty Ainley smashing 96 not out from 55 balls with Baty (78), Joe Hall (41) and Atkinson (52no) also in the runs, Rockcliffe were never in it and bowled out 144 runs short.

Woodhouse 3rds' luck was out as they were eight runs adrift of victory at Church Fenton in the league, then agonisingly one run short at Rufforth in the cup.

Londesborough Park leggie Ben Shingles bowled out Middleton & North Dalton for 176, then Park got over the line at 177-7 thanks to Mike Drewery's 67.

Pocklington finished 20 runs light at home to Hull Zingari, after another Con Brattan five wicket haul of 5-41, backed up by Ryan Lockwood's 4-71.

Chasing 199 John Chaplin's 40 gave Pock a good start, then Ben Thompson made 60 at number five, but Pock lost wickets in stepping up the chase and were out for 179.