Bradford get back on track

10:07am Monday 18th August 2008

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Cricket: After two successive weeks of cancellations, Bradford Town's fortunes bucked their recent trend as they recorded a comfortable eight wicket win at Cooper Avon Tyres.

After winning the toss and inserting the home side, Bradford made early in-roads into the batting line up.

First wicket to fall was the dangerous Mark Wiltshire, clean bowled by first team debutant Wali Ahmed for 14.

After captain Matthew Harrington removed Steve Rendell for 1, assisted by a fine catch from Danny Hall the home side were making heavy work of scoring runs.

The introduction of Adam Cooksey to the attack tightened Bradford's hold on the game. Cooksey bowled an exceptional spell, bowling into the strong wind and returning figures of 12-4-18-4, and leaving Cooper Avon Tyres reeling on 98 for 6 at the end of his entitled overs. A brief flurry of runs from home captain Rich Jory (19) gave the innings a little push towards the end but the innings was finished off by Dean Bird (5-0-16-2) and Nick Gerrish (8.1-0-29-2) for a below par 143 all out.

Bradford set about the run chase with gusto, Clive Warren making a typically aggressive 17 at the top of the order. However, the match was won by a 97 run second wicket partnership between James Edwards and man of the match Adam Cooksey who made 51 and 53 not out respectively to all but seal the Bradford victory. Cooksey was joined at the end by James Pike who made a solid 16 not out. This was an outstanding performance by both Cooksey and the whole Bradford team, who did not put a foot wrong all game. They must now take this form into the remaining two fixtures of the season in order to seal their division one status for next season.

Points awarded Bradford Town 23, Cooper Avon Tyres 4.

Second Eleven v North Bradley (h) - Division 4 Bradford Town's chances of catching a promotion place were dealt a severe blow on Saturday by a crushing home defeat at the hands of North Bradley. On a cold and grey day Bradford Town won the toss and put North Bradley in to bat. The North Bradley opening pair, J.A. Taylor and C. Fardell got off to a slow, but controlled start with some excellent bowling from Bradford bowler, Gareth Moorhouse. Despite regular bowling changes the Bradford Town bowlers could not remove either of the North Bradley openers until the 29th over when Fardell and Taylor had reach 120. It was Taylor who was removed for a well made 44. This brought the North Bradley skipper, Andy Colebrooke, to the middle and he wasted no time in hitting a quick fire 19 runs. When Colebrooke was removed by the impressive Adrian Cooksey (12-1-44-3) Bradford sensed wrapping up the innings quickly, but C. Fardell had other ideas and he continued to bat with confidence and found the boundary on regular occasions, something that was not easy with a slow and wet outfield. With wickets falling in quick succession at the other end Fardell pushed himself onto a well made and deserved 106 not out at the end of the innings, which helped to guide North Bradley to a score of 187 all out from 43.5 overs. Despite only picking up two wickets Gareth Moorhouse (9-7-4-2) was the shinning light in the Bradford attack, bowling with control and accuracy.

The Bradford Town reply got off to a dreadful start with both openers going in the first two overs. Wickets fell at regular intervals with excellent bowling from Sean Brown (10-5-13-3) and Andy Colebrooke (8-1-24-4) and Bradford could not mount any serious challenge, extras top scored with 16! North Bradley wrapped up an impressive 142 run victory in the 21st over with Bradford Town making a very disappointing 45 all out.

Points awarded Bradford Town 5, North Bradley 24.