Division Nine Ickleford II 186-10 (51.1) Greenwood Park 117-9 (48.0) PARK welcomed high flying Ickleford to Greenwood on Saturday and were quickly off the mark in the chase for wickets. Skipper Mel Baker won the toss and unleashed his young bowlers

Division Nine

Ickleford II 186-10 (51.1) Greenwood Park 117-9 (48.0)

PARK welcomed high flying Ickleford to Greenwood on Saturday and were quickly off the mark in the chase for wickets.

Skipper Mel Baker won the toss and unleashed his young bowlers who knocked over the top four batsmen before the score had reached 40.

Ryan Atkins, fresh back from holiday, claimed two and Joe Cole and Sam T. Nash chipped in with one each.

Ickleford managed a brief recovery until two wickets for Karim Mahbubul put them back on the ropes at 90 for 6. Ickleford's middle order continued to struggle, now against spin twins Mahbubul and Dan Gloudemans, but a series of dropped catches and missed stumpings would prove costly.

Ickleford managed to get past the 150 mark courtesy of Park's generosity with a series of undesirable full tosses before Gloudemans made an important breakthrough. Mahbubul claimed another couple of wickets for his 4-35 and the returning Atkins (3-40) completed the innings at 186 with an over to spare.

Park openers Baker and Roland James started well and looked comfortable until skipper Baker misjudged a big off cutter with the score at 20.

Kyle Gloudemans struggled to dominate the bowling, but provided supported James to push the score along until both fell at 47. Park lost another couple of quick wickets and found themselves faltering at 60-5 and well behind the required run rate. Bowlers turned batsmen Mahbubul and Atkins staged a brief recovery with a partnership of 35 when the unnecessary personal sledging of Atkins caused a loss of concentration and he was dismissed by a sharp stumping.

Troy Petchey joined Mahbubul and with victory now well beyond hope, the pair attempted to get Park high enough to earn batting points only for three wickets to fall with the score on 117.

The only remaining satisfaction for Park came as number 11 Matt Stevens successfully saw off the final couple of overs to secure the draw to frustrate Ickleford.

Park remain in the bottom third of the division and have two very important games against fellow struggles in the next couple of weeks. They travel to Parkfield & Headstone II on Saturday.