Holt well beaten after disappointing batting collapse

Holt suffered a humiliating 73-run defeat in their latest NCL Division Two encounter at home to Gooderstone.

Holt won the toss and elected to field first and were in pursuit of early wickets.

But Gooderstone's openers K Morgan and S Merritt looked comfortable and put on a 53 run partnership in just over 16 overs before Mears (1-42) provided Holt with a much needed breakthrough, with a caught and bowled.

This brought N Morgan in to join Merritt, who was showing more attacking intent as his innings went on, but with the score on 73, Merritt (34) was dismissed by Collyer (1-27), to a catch at slip from M Spillett.

Seymour joined N Morgan, and Holt needed to make the most of having two relatively new batsmen in, but both were allowed to settle in and the runs started to flow. Boundaries came regularly in the last 15 overs, with Seymour passing 50, as their partnership reached 111, before J Rutterford (1-59) dismissed N Morgan (48), caught by Chapman at mid-wicket. In the end Gooderstone reach 208-3 in their 45 overs.

Holt needed to bat well to chase 209 down, and openers Chapman and M Spillett got Holt off on the right note, punishing any loose deliveries to the boundary. But with the score on 87 after 16 overs, and Spillett having just passed 50, Chapman (29) was dismissed by N Morgan to a juggling catch by Merritt. Thaxter joined Spillett who then nicked behind to wicket keeper K Morgan off N Morgan (2-18) when on 52.

Thaxter was starting to show attacking intent but with the score on 108, Collyer (1) nicked behind. D Rutterford joined Thaxter, but eight runs into their partnership, Bedingfield picked up the key wicket of Thaxter (18), who was caught by Merritt, leaving Holt 116-4. D Rutterford (7) was dismissed by Bedingfield and wickets continued to tumble quickly as J Rutterford, A Buttle (1) and P Buttle (5) were all dismissed. G Edge and Mears were Holt's last pair, but Edge (4) was dismissed, bringing up Bedingfield's five-wicket haul inside 3.3 overs, going for just 10 runs in the process.

Holt were bowled out for 135 in 34.3 overs, with Mears two not out, and Holt were left to rue yet another batting collapse. This result puts Holt second from bottom in the table, and they are at home to second placed Narborough on Saturday.