Much needed win is booster for struggling Gainsborough as they see off Shirebrook

This had turned into a must win home game at home against a side who accompanied Gainsborough up with promotion to last year.

After a lot of bad luck so far this season a performance of this nature was long overdue, and Gainsborough now hope to use this as a springboard for the rest of the season and to quickly get away from the relegation zone.

Asked to bat, Shirebrook made a solid start but didn't get away in the early overs and tight bowling led to Keightley breaking the deadlock by bowling Copestake.

Smith then skittled Downs and Shirebrook were 59-2, with the game already in the balance. However Smedley was joined by Walker and through some classy shots, the pairing began to form a strong partnership.

Despite Tittley ringing the bowling changes, the two set batsman soon propelled the score to over 150 giving Shirebrook a significant platform to post a formidable total.

As Walker went past his half century, things quickly changed.

Despite a clear run out of Walker being missed by the umpire, a ball later, Smedley was caught going aerial on the boundary for 49.

With one end open, Gainsborough aimed to bowl as many balls as possible at the new batsman and to starve Walker of the strike.

Wickets began to fall with Bingham bowling excellently before the senior bowlers of Clay and Norburn returned to close off the innings, with Clay grabbing three quick wickets.

Shirebrook finished on 198-8 with Walker remaining unbeaten on 70 not out.

This was a good score, but Gainsborough were content with their effort in the field to restrict the visitors and felt confident that a good start with the bat would give them chance.

Openers Purdy and Tittley got the home side off to the perfect start playing patiently, but with intent and punishing the bad ball.

With boundaries flowing and clever play enabling regular rotation of the strike, Gainsborough had soon raced on to 30 inside five overs.

Shirebrook had to change tact, in the hope that taking pace off the ball would give them the breakthrough they desperately needed.

However the flow of runs continued with Tittley and Purdy both looking comfortable, scoring quickly and piling the pressure onto the opponents.

Captain Tittley soon raced to his first 50 of the season with what he hoped would be a match winning knock.

After an opening stand of 99, Purdy was unlucky to miss-time a pull shot and was caught comfortably for an excellently made 22.

Andrews joined Tittley in the middle and looked to put an already deflated Shirebrook to the sword, through his calculate and classy attacking style.

Gainsborough maintained a healthy run rate with some stunning sixes from Andrews, and Shirebrook knew their fate was sealed.

Tittley (81) and Andrews (68) looked assured seeing Gainsborough to victory inside 30 overs to secure the side’s second victory of the season.

Gainsborough’s second team travelled away to Anston also looking for victory.

Bowling first, Gainsborough skittled Anston out for 174 with the wickets shared amongst the team.

In a similar vein, Gainsborough’s response with the bat resulted in runs being shared amongst the side, with Snell, Fotheringham, Roberts and Rodriguez leading the way to victory knocking them off for 176-7 within 37 overs.

This was a fantastic effort and once again thoroughly deserved result after some recent near misses.

This Saturday the first team host table-topping Clumber Park, whilst the second team travel away to Killamarsh.