Towns claim consolation T20 as Sam Crouch leaves Wanderers in a spin

In the last regular season T20 game there were no finals places on the line but Towns claimed precious competition points against Wanderers in a boost for minor premiership hopes.

Towns won the toss and elected to bat with Callum Marquis (21) and Jeremy Bedford laying a solid platform on a pitch offering plenty of swing with the new ball.

Bedford was first to fall before Marquis and Nathan Podmore fell in quick succession after Podmore was involved in a horror mix-up with Sam Crouch and was run-out with a direct hit from Shayne Bidwell.

He would strike again to find Kodi Giltrow short of his ground after slipping while setting off for a tight single, to reduce Towns to 5-87.

But Jai Russell (27no) and Ringo McKenna (16no) worked the ball around and kept the runs ticking over to post a competitive 5-118.

Mick Thompson (2-18) bowled well while Clayton Bruce-Cherry’s dismissal of Crouch featured a diving outfield grab from Liam Clarkson.

It was an imposing total and Bidwell (17) made his intent clear with a big swipe flying just past the keeper before depositing the second ball of the match over the leg side for six.

But under the lights Tom Forsyth was finding prodigious swing, removing both Bidwell and Bruce-Cherry both caught by the sure hands of Marquis in the deep.

Austin Breen then took a sharp chance at point to remove Kade Gillingham as Wanderers folded quickly for 76.

Jason Partington did provide one highlight after Russell bowled a drag down which he dispatched with a reverse pull for six bringing up cheers from the crowd.

Crouch (3-15) bowled well and the fielding was classy with two run-outs to end the game and Jeremy Bedford’s solid keeping throughout.