MOORES TON SECURES SIX WICKET VICTORY FOR ACADEMY

Nottinghamshire Academy secured an impressive six-wicket victory over West Indian Cavaliers when they traveled to Birchover Park, Tom Moores’ century anchoring the visitors’ chase.

The Academy won the toss and invited the hosts to bat first, openers Adeel Shafique and Paldip Sidhu making a decent start to the innings putting on 39 for the first wicket.

Simon Walton got Sidhu (20) to edge one behind to the keeper, Akhil Patel the new batsmen for the Cavaliers and the pair took the score over the fifty mark in the 12^th over.

Patel (8) didn’t last too long though and was caught off the bowling of Simon Webster (68-2).

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals with Shafique (42) being the next man to go, again caught by the keeper Tom Keast this time off the bowling of Rieko Parker-Cole (79-3).

The new batsmen Domonic Williamson and Bilal Shafayat steadied slightly and the 100 was reached at the half way point of the innings.

Shafayat didn’t look too comfortable at the crease however and could only manage eight off 41 balls before he was caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Adam Tillcock (109-4).

Aaron Thomas joined Williamson at the crease and the pair moved the score along nicely bringing up the 150 in the 39^th over, and Williamson brought up his fifty the very next ball.

However, the Cavaliers were pegged back when Luke Wood got Thomas (20) to edge behind to the keeper.

The new batsmen Atta-ur Rehman Bajwah went the very next over off Tillcock without troubling the scorers.

Michael Millwood came in to try and finish the innings strongly for the Cavaliers and managed a quick fire 16 before he was caught and bowled off the bowling of Tilcock.

Corey Collymore was next man in and saw out the last over with the Cavaliers finishing on 214-7, Williamson unbeaten on 85.

The Notts Academy opened their reply with Anuj Dal and Tom Moores. The pair started the innings strongly and brought up fifty in the 15^th over.

The partnership was eventually broken for 83 when Dal (34) was bowled by Bajwah, Dan Freeman joined Moores at the crease and the latter brought up his fifty in the 25^th over.

The pair took the score over the 100 mark shortly after and the Academy looked in a great position to go and win the match. In the 33^rd over Freeman (9) was caught off Collymore (123-2) and Tillcock came to the crease.

Moores completed his century in the 44^th over with the score at 174-2, the openers ton had come off 136 balls with seven fours.

However, Moores couldn’t bat through the innings and fell in the 47^th over for 113, attempting to sweep Collymore (192-3).

Simon Webster came to the crease, and the 200 came up for the Academy in the 48^th over.

They required 15 runs off 12 balls and their nerves may have increased when Webster (17) was caught behind off the bowling of Shafique.

However the new batsmen Luke Wood and Tillcock saw Nottinghamshire home to win by six wickets with four balls to spare.