Grimston triumph against Thornham in Division Four clash

Grimston held their nerve to record a one-wicket win against visiting Thornham on Saturday.The hosts welcomed Thornham to the Clean Tech cricket ground for their Division Four match, with Grimston sitting top of the table and Thornham also well placed and both teams were undefeated.The hosts were without top-scorer Mark Tilbrook or skipper Andrew Tilbrook, so James Frost stepped in to captain the side. Frosty’s game got off to a good start, winning the toss and choosing to bowl first in overcast conditions.Thornham’s opening batters Andrew Arnold and Simon Parsons hit the ground running, amassing 44 runs before Parsons fell victim to captain Frost.A succession of partners came and went for Arnold, who top-scored with an impressive 70 runs before finally being trapped leg-before-wicket by Oscar Prescott.Matty Rose scored 19 and young Henry Pearson added 12 to the total, with Thornham finishing on 165/6.Grimston opened the batting with Sam Adkin and Mark Pickering, the pairing building an innings and seeing off the bowling attack of Duncan Rix and Matty Rose. With a change in bowlers came a change of pace from Pickering, who went on the attack, eventually plundering 65 runs, including 11 boundaries before being bowled by the impressive Micah Randall. Ben Wilson added 19 to the total before Grimston lost six wickets for only 12 runs.It left Adkin and Frost at the crease in the penultimate over to see Grimston home in a thrilling victory.Niel Wynn took five wickets for Thornham in an impressive display. Captain Frost was happy with the display, saying: “I was very pleased with the efforts of the team in the field, the bowling attack was collectively excellent.”After a solid opening partnership with a contribution from Ben at number three, I was preparing my apologies to some of the middle order lads that they hadn’t got a bat when all hell broke loose.”Well played, Thornham, for taking the game right to the wire, and for the spirit the game was played in.”