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Mixed Results on Opening Weekend
Mixed results as the 1st XI secured a comprehensive victory and the 2nd and 3rds suffered narrow defeats in closely contested matches.
Kibworth 1st XI vs Cropston Cricket Club
The 1st XI started their defence of the Premier League title by putting up a dominant display against Cropston Cricket Club, winning by 10 wickets. After winning the toss and electing to field, Kibworth's bowlers put up a disciplined performance, dismissing Cropston for 106 within 34 overs. Matthew Bashford and Jigar Naik led the attack, claiming three wickets each.
In the chase, openers Aadil Ali and Matthew Craven made light work of the target, reaching 107 without loss in just 19.1 overs. Both batsmen scored identical unbeaten half-centuries (51 runs), featuring seven fours and a six each.
Kibworth 2nd XI vs Lutterworth Cricket Club
The 2nd XI faced a narrow defeat against Lutterworth Cricket Club, falling short by 19 runs. After electing to field, Kibworth bowled Lutterworth out for 151, with Zubin Bandi claiming an impressive 4-wicket haul. Akash Bhakta chipped in with two crucial wickets.
Kibworth's chase began poorly, losing seven wickets for just 37 runs. However, a fighting 92-run partnership between Freddie Bashford and Daniel Broughton brought them back into contention. Despite their efforts, we were eventually bowled out for 132, losing by 19 runs.
Kibworth 3rd XI vs Oakham Cricket Club 2nd XI
In another nail-biter, the 3s lost to Oakham Cricket Club 2nd XI by 16 runs. After opting to field, Kibworth bowled Oakham out for 141, with Ollie Stone claiming a 5-wicket haul, clean bowling all his victims. Debutant Zethan Bandi also contributed with two wickets.
Kibworth's chase started well, but they lost a flurry of wickets to find themselves at 65-5. A vital partnership between Ben Matthew and Zethan Bandi put them in a strong position. Still, a late collapse saw Kibworth bowled out for 125, 16 runs short of the target.
Kibworth 4th XI vs Enderby Cricket Club 2nd XI
Unfortunately, the 4th XI's opening day fixture against Enderby was abandoned without a ball being bowled this weekend. The decision was announced at 10:30am as the outfield was deemed unfit for play. Persistent rain in the lead-up to the match left the ground saturated. Despite the best efforts of the ground staff, the conditions failed to improve sufficiently to allow the game to proceed.
In summary, it was a weekend of contrasting fortunes, with the 1st XI's convincing victory juxtaposed with narrow defeats for the 2nd and 3rd XIs. The fighting spirit displayed by all teams bodes well for the remainder of the season, and the club hopes we can be on the other side of these results in the coming weeks.
On Sunday, a similar fate to the 4th XI met the 2's Voneus Village Cup first found fixture at Revesby in Lincolnshire and the Women's Super 8 fixtures at home versus Hinckley Amateur and Thrapston. Both matches were abandoned in the morning without a ball being bowled.