Woodlands too good for Barnard Castle in semi-final

Woodlands, who had been sent in at home to Barnard Castle in their Group One semi-final, were 152-3 in the 24th over when the all-rounder came to the crease.

Some 16.4 overs later the powerfully-built Clee had put on 167 unbroken with his skipper Brad Schmulian (122no), with Clee’s contribution being 78 off 54 deliveries, including six fours and five sixes.

Schmulian, busy as ever, timing the ball nicely and always looking for quick runs, took only 94 balls, nine of which were dispatched for fours and six for sixes.

Small wonder that Barnard Castle’s bowling attack was looking ragged by the close as Woodlands racked up 319-3.

Clee in action (Image: Newsquest)Clee said: “It was a flat wicket, but I struggled for the first 15 balls or so. However, once you get in on this wicket the boundaries are not that big and you can play through the line.

“We got an ideal start and we sent Muhammad Bilal in at No 4, who got going a bit, and for me it was the perfect time to bat.

“Playing 40 overs suits us and it was a nice way to bounce back from the league defeat to Townville the day before.”

Ahmed gets his hand on the ball (Image: Ray Spencer.)Barnard Castle skipper James Quinn raised a few eyebrows, even among his team-mates, when he won the toss and chose to bat, and they had early joy when Sam Frankland was caught in the slips off Leeds-based former Yorkshire Academy bowler Ed Barnes.

But after that it was Woodlands all the way to the tea interval, with left-handed opener Tim Jackson playing some beautiful shots through the offside on his way to 68 from 60 balls, which included 11 fours.

Schmulian was as prolific as ever at the other end, showing that you don’t need to be 6ft 4in and muscly to strike the ball sweetly.

Schmulian also put on a good showing (Image: Newsquest)Bilal, whose 24 in a stand of 26 came off 15 deliveries and contained two fours and two sixes, kept up the momentum that Jackson and Schmulian had created in a partnership of 108, and then it was down to the Kiwi and Clee, who took 22 runs off Josh Bousfield’s first over as Barnard Castle’s bowling was too predictable.

Schmulian then helped Woodlands past the psychologically important barrier of 300 by taking 29 off the final over, bowled by Robert West, including three sixes.

The only worrying moment in the second innings was when Carver (61, including five sixes) and West added 50 in quick time for the seventh wicket as Schmulian went for 20 in his only over, and the Richardsons conceded 73 runs in 11 overs.

However, Elliot Richardson also took three wickets for 51 in his eight overs, including left-hander Carver and West, and canny off-spinner Kez Ahmed wrapped up the tail by taking 4-30 in 6.1 overs as Barnard Castle were dismissed for 169, losing by 150 runs, with Scott Richardson’s superb catch on the boundary finishing them off.