Wilcox delivers batting masterclass for Downham Stow

Arthur Wilcox delivered a batting masterclass as Downham Stow secured a nail-biting win at Witchingham in their first-ever East Anglian Premier League fixture.Wilcox blasted the best century in the club’s history as the visitors recovered from 11-3 and 93-7 to record a history-making success.Skipper Pat Yates lost the toss and was quickly asked to bat by Witchingham skipper James Hale.It looked like a good decision as Downham Stow stuttered to 11-3 after six overs.Openers Finley Wilcox, Will Denny and Ben Wilcox found themselves back in the hut without troubling the scorers.A partnership between Fairey and Arthur Wilcox steadied the ship before Fairey was adjudged LBW for a well-made 36.Another mid-innings wobble saw Yates, Sachindu Colombage and Owen Stacey fall cheaply as Downham Stow limped to 93-7. A crucial 61-run partnership between Arthur and George Cook saw the score past 150. With partners quickly running out, Wilcox decided that clearing the boundary was the name of the game.Arthur reached a fabulous 100 with five maximum scores into the caravan field.Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it six as his innings came to an end, caught on the long-off boundary for a magnificent 123 (eight fours and 10 sixes). Brett Stolworthy (29 not out) and Addam Todd took the score to a respectable 248 with Todd being dismissed off the final ball of the innings.Debutant Stolworthy made the early breakthrough, coincidentally against his former side, removing both Witchingham openers cheaply to leave them 32-2. A 66-run partnership between Nico Reifer and Adam Chislett kept the home side in the game.Reifer was removed on 50 caught-and-bowled by Colombage. Chislett and the home skipper then put on 70 for the fourth wicket, with Stolworthy returning to take another wicket.A fine bowling display from Owen Stacey saw him remove Hale and Dodd to swing the pendulum Downham Stow’s way once again.James Spelman and Charlie Rogers looked like they had steadied the ship for Witchingham before Spelman lobbed one to Will Denny off the bowling of Arthur Wilcox, with the hosts still needing 16 to win.A grandstand finish was set with the home side needing 11 runs to win from the final over.A few singles came off the first balls bowled by Colombage, and the game was sealed with Muggeridge being stumped sharply by George Cook from a wide.Corey Rushton came to the crease needing four to tie the game and five to win and could only cut the ball to deep-backwards-square for a single to seal a ground-breaking victory in their first EAPL fixture.