01/06/2026
🏏 THE 2ND XI, THEY CAME, THEY SAW, THEY ABSOLUTELY CONQUERED! 🏏
If you were looking for statements of intent this weekend, the 2nd XI didn’t just make one—they made two.
💥Captains log, It's T20 Barton, but not as we know it! 💥
We aren't just talking about picking up a couple of wins. We’re talking about what can only be described as one of the most clinical, and dominant double-headers this team has produced in recent years.
What makes this day even more special was the gruelling, marathon T20 day. Faced with intense heat and a four-hour gap between matches, the boys never relented. They stayed switched on, maintained their focus (except for the hour where delirium set in for us all as we searched for some shade) and were utterly ruthless from ball one of the morning to the final runs of the afternoon.
It was a true squad effort, with everyone pulling together to deliver a perfect day of cricket. Here is how the magic happened:
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# # # 🔥 Game 1: Normanby Park CC 1st XI vs Barton 2nd XI
**The Damage:** Barton 169-4 (20 overs) - Normanby Park 41 all out (14.5 overs)
We were put in to bat first and set a mountain of a target thanks to some brilliant individual displays. Oliver Mussett set a solid platform at the top with a swift 24 (including five 4s).
That paved the way for an absolute masterclass of a partnership between Michael Hinchliffe and Tom Palin. Michael batted beautifully for 55, clearing the ropes for three big 6s, while Tom anchored the innings perfectly, top-scoring with a superb 58. Oliver Yard (12*) and Christy Francis (3*) then closed things out cleanly to take us to a formidable 169.
When we took to the field the bowling unit and fielders put on an display in just 58 minutes:
**Oliver Small** set the tone with a ridiculous spell, taking 3 wickets for just 6 runs off his 4 overs, including 2 maidens!
**Tom Brock** ripped through the lower order, finishing with incredible figures of 4 wickets for 10 runs.
**Dean Cressey** bowled with great control, picking up 2 vital wickets for just 8 runs.
**Ben Papworth** kept the pressure heavy during his 3 overs to earn a well-deserved wicket.
Behind the stumps, **Oliver Yard** was exceptional (and loud) claiming two sharp catches and a stumping, while **Spencer Leaning**, **Matt Small**, and **Oliver Small** all held onto crucial catches to back up the bowlers.
Normanby Park were bowled out for just 41. A total team performance.
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# # # 🔥 Game 2: Cherry Willingham CC 2nd XI vs Barton 2nd XI
**The Damage:** Cherry Willingham 73-9 (20 overs) | Barton 74-0 (6.1 overs)
Despite the intense afternoon heat and the long wait between games, the energy never dropped. We elected to field, and the bowling unit suffocated the opposition from the off, restricting Cherry Willingham to a meager 73-9 across their full 20 overs!
**Oliver Small** continued his golen day, picking up another fantastic 3-wicket haul.
**Christy Francis** bowled beautifully under pressure to claim 2 wickets for 19 runs.
**Tom Palin** bowled an incredibly economical spell, conceding just 14 runs from his 4 overs while picking up a wicket.
**Dean Cressey** and **Tom Brock** strikes again, each picking up a wicket to keep the opposition completely locked down.
In the field, **Oliver Small** showed sharp reflexes to affect a brilliant run-out, while **Oliver Yard** secured another stumping to keep the standards right where they had been all day!
Chasing 74, our opening pair decided they wanted to finish the job in style. **Spencer Leaning** went on an absolute boundary rampage, smashing an unbeaten 43 off just 21 balls. Alongside him, **Oliver Mussett** hit a powerful 24, and the duo chased down the total in a breathtaking **6.1 overs** without losing a single wicket!
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Two games. Two ruthless victories. Every single player contributed to a massive day for the club, laying down a huge marker for the rest of the Mike Savage Cup and league campaigns.
A massive congratulations to all the lads for their incredible work rate in tough conditions.
At the end of a long and hot day, the last thing to do before returning to Barton for cold beer was to award the "Performance of the Week" shirt. There were a lot of names in the mix this week, from batsman crushing runs to bowlers smashing wickets and Captain Mussett was left with the tough decision.
After weighing it all up, the Skipper went for a young man that showed great maturity with the ball, after missing a catch off his own bowling and watching the next ball cross the boundary (every bowlers nightmare), Olly Small stuck to his task, pitched it on 5th stump and turned it into middle and off to claim another victim! He bowled solidly across both games and worked hard in the field for his team, a well deserved recipient!
UTV 🏏
