This week’s visitors, Gedling and Sherwood 1st XI, won the toss and elected to bat first despite the 2nd team’s record of having won all of their last 4 games chasing.

On a beautiful day at the bounds Eddy George and Kamran Ul-Haq opened the bowling for Ellerslie and it was the youngster who starters sharper, nicking off Tauseef Ahmed for 14. Eddy then found his metronome-like rhythm and ripped into the G&S middle order taking out batsmen 3, 4 and 5 for a combined score of 2 runs between them.

At the other end opener Muhammed Aqeel was proving difficult to dislodge on his way to the visitor’s top score of the afternoon with 27. However, Eddy rapped Aqeel on the pads and took his fourth wicket on his way to figures of 10 overs for 28 runs and 4 wickets, a craftsman like spell from the skipper, leaving the visitors 46 for 5.

Vivek Parekh bowled steadily after replacing Kammy before Dan Cawley, making his second team debut, came into the attack and impressed with his left arm swing. The visitor’s lower order did show some resistance; Ozzy Qayyum (18) and Muhammed Tafseer (17) provided the majority of that as G&S ticked over the 100 mark. Of course, it would not be a 2nd team bowling display if Taimoor Tasnim did not rack up a few wickets. Dan took 2 and Taimoor took 3 as Ellerslie bowled the 7th placed team in Div. D out for a sub-par total of 123.

Tea report: Tandoori chicken wings and apple flapjacks were my top treats from a lovely homemade spread put on by Sophie Taylor.

Simon George and Alan Lewis opened up for the Ells and Simon tried set the tone by crunching a cut shot for 4 of the very first ball of the innings. However, the next 20 overs were a real struggle. Initially, Chewy (2) plopped one up to short mid-wicket and David Perry got castled first ball by Ashan Raja (25-2). Sam Miller couldn’t get going in his innings of 6 before he was trapped LBW by the leggy Aqeel and Ryan Duggan who got a non-spinning ‘Gatting ball’ was the second Ellerslie batsman to get a golden blob (43-4).

Richard Whittle came and went to the left arm spin of Ozzy Qayyum to be replaced by talented all-rounder Vivek Parekh with the score on 58 for 5 off 21 overs. Vivek provided some much-needed impetus into the innings, whilst Simon got a reprieve as he danced down the wicket, past the ball and offered up a stumping chance that was not taken.

With the tricky leg spin of Aqeel (11/4/32/2) almost bowled out Vivek (33*) put a dent in his figures, whipping him through and over mid-wicket with imperious timing as the pair of batters relieved all pressure with a succession of big overs. With the team needing 14 off the 31st over to get all 20 points, Simon (67*) struck 2 boundaries through extra cover and finished up by hitting a scoop 6 to take the Ells over the line.

The second team have now chased down scores in the second innings to win 5 of their last 6 games and cement their candidacy as promotion contenders with West Bridgfordians hot on their heels in third. Next up for Eddy George’s men is 9th placed East Bridgford in their quest to gain promotion from the FEET (etc) Division D.

Written by Simon George
@SGeorge87