CRICKHOWELL entertained last year’s League Champions Luctonians at home on Saturday, still struggling to field 11 fit players.

Skipper Nick Francis won the toss, and opted to bowl first, believing batting second would give his side more opportunity of earning bonus points.

But on the hottest afternoon of the year to date and the Luctonians back to a full strength batting line up, it was an ‘X’ factor performance required from the bowlers and 30 factor sun screen for the fielders.

Crickhowell actually bowled and fielded quite well early on, with youngsters Callum Tew and Lloyd Francis doing particularly well in the field.

With the ball, Nick Francis (6 for 36) and Paul Cornock (1 for 42) made some early breakthroughs and Ben Bowker (0 for 69) was also bowling well, but had shout after shout turned down for LBW which was remarkable given that there were nine other LBWs given in the match as a whole. Luctonians though, do have strength in depth and Griffiths batting at number eight hit a quick fire 60 to hurt Crickhowell and see the visitors through to 259.

Opener Platford finished on an elegant 97 being bowled by Nick’s brother, Justin Francis (2 for 32) and keeping it in the family, Nick’s son Lloyd, also took 1 for 25.

It was a real captain’s performance with the ball though from Nick Francis, who bowled 12 overs in some discomfort with a side strain, and took six wickets for a paltry 36 runs.

He bowled an immaculate line and length and trapped three victims LBW, had two others bowled, and had the last caught behind by his uncle, Ryland Wallace, standing up to the wicket.

In reply, for Crickhowell, Watts and Wallace put on 30 for the first wicket and looked pretty secure, but both fell to further LBW decisions and both would have referred the decisions to the third umpire if the TV technology had been available to them.

The middle order could only muster a handful of runs before disaster struck with the score on 62 and the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh wicket all falling without a run being added.

Crickhowell’s batting line-up can be a bit fragile at the best of times, but with the two ‘youngsters’ and a further two ‘oldsters’ to face one of the strongest bowling teams in the league, it was too much even to squeeze out any further batting points and the innings capitulated on 96 all out.

At least Crickhowell could be thankful for five bowling bonus points from the game and can also be thankful for all the other teams below them loosing as well with even fewer points.

Crickhowell face another home game next week when they entertain third placed Garnons.