Poulton CC takes GCCL Div 2 and CDCA Div 3 league titles
Poulton Cricket club completed an historic double last weekend with both their senior sides not only gaining promotion from their respective leagues but also finishing the season as Champions, making 2008 arguably the most successful season in the club's history especially when taken in conjunction with the completion of the pavilion.
For the First XI squad, it was the second promotion in as many seasons. Going into Saturday's match, Poulton needed 16 points to secure a place in County League division 1 in 2009 and 21 points to take the divisonal title. Otherwise it promised to be a nervous wait as results were reported from the matches involving third placed Newent and second placed Charlton Kings. Losing the toss, Poulton were asked to bowl on a classic Poulton batting track. Nevertheless a strong bowling attack led by Luke Armitage (2/16) and Mark Wright (2/27 from 12 overs) kept visitors Churchdown to 145/9 from their 45 overs.
In reply, Poulton got off to a disastrous start losing both wickets and valuable batting bonus points to crumble to 14/4 as Churchdown's Means (4/37) took a wicket in each of his first four overs. However the partnership of Poulton's season then took shape as Siddiq Khan (54*) joined Poulton opener Mark Higginson (71*) at the crease, The two then batted through to the end amassing a fifth wicket partnership of 132. The momentus achievement of the Poulton pair was then rammed home as news came through that Poulton were GCCL Division Two champions, although this would not have been the case had either Khan or Higginson lost their wickets and as a result, the single point separating first from second.
Meanwhile Poulton's Second XI visited Badminton far safer at the top of their table in the hope of capping an absolutely superb season for them during which they have only lost one game. Bowling the home side out for 104 with Joe Gardiner leading the way with 4/25. In reply Poulton, lost 4 wickets reaching the target with eight 8 overs to spare. The victory left Poulton 106 points clear at the top of the table and with a points average of 17.92 ahead of Avening and Cherington on 14.11.
