CLACTON v BURY ST EDMUNDS II

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division three

(Clacton won by seven wickets)

CLACTON’S bowlers ran through Bury’s middle and lower order as they bounced back from their defeat at Brockley.

In the process, they moved top of division three.

Bowling first, they took a few overs to find their lines.

Bury’s opening pair of Vivek Rajagopal and Josh Toon moved the score on to 31 when Lewis Kirk had the latter caught at mid-on for 14.

Ian Plumb soon followed, giving Kirk his second dismissal of the day.

From here on, Rajagopal watched wickets fall at the other end and no other Bury batsman managed double figures.

Gary Kirk rolled back the clock with six overs of seam, claiming the wicket of Adam Kizis in his rare outing.

The spin of Imran Sheikh and Matt Fowler tore through the lower order, attacking the stumps well, with five of their seven wickets either bowled or lbw.

Rajagopal formed the only resistance for Bury, making a gritty 65 before becoming last man out, with the score on 117.

Clacton’s batting reply began in the normal attacking fashion, with both Sheikh and Scott Facey hitting early boundaries.

Sheikh was the first man to go for a breezy 14, bringing Kieron Parkes to the crease, given a chance up the order at number three.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make the most of the opportunity and was out lbw for a duck, to Rajagopal.

Brad Turner and Facey then set about knocking off the modest score, with both batting sensibly to add 50 until skipper Facey was out, caught for 39.

Turner then finished the game with a flourish of boundaries off Hassam Dahar, hitting two fours and a six to claim the 20 points.

Thanks to East Bergholt’s win against Ipswich and East Suffolk, the Seasiders sit 11 points clear at the top and they now travel to Bergholt on Saturday, in search of another 20 points.