Broadwater's spirit hailed despite being 'miles short of where they should have been' in Ansty loss

Nigel Waller admitted that Broadwater were ‘miles short of where they should have been’ in their chastening 110-run Division 3 West defeat at Ansty but was keen to praise the ‘tremendous spirit in the team’.
Broadwater celebrate picking up a wicket at Ansty. Picture by Steve RobardsBroadwater celebrate picking up a wicket at Ansty. Picture by Steve Robards
Broadwater celebrate picking up a wicket at Ansty. Picture by Steve Robards

The hosts, electing to bat, posted 216-6 off 45 overs as Jake Wilson topscored with 51. Paul O’Sullivan (3-31) was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors.

Broadwater’s reply faltered from the off, lurching from 19-3 to 62-6. Chris Green (21) summoned up some resistance but Ansty’s bowling attack made light work of the away side’s batting line-up as Broadwater were skittled for 106 in 39.1 overs.

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Waller said: “Our bowling and fielding in exceptionally hot conditions was really good. We can take some positives there but again our batting let us down. We never got going and were miles short of where we should have been.

“While we’ve lost a few games in a row we’ve got tremendous spirit in the team and we just need to get our batting clicking again. Onto the next game next week where we will hopefully put in a decent performance.”

A 79-run opening-wicket partnership from Ansty’s Harry Towler (44) and skipper Leo Anderson (43) got the home side off to a solid start with the bat. But Broadwater rallied with the ball as wickets from O’Sullivan, Fitzroy Hodges (1-48), and Benn Challen (2-21) pegged Ansty back to 118-4.

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Two wickets in quick succession from O’Sullivan and Challen then saw Ansty fall to 134-6 before Wilson and wicketkeeper Tom Woodall (41) produced a match-winning partnership. The Ansty duo put on 82-runs for the seventh-wicket to rocket the hosts well past 200 before the innings close.

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After a decent spell with the ball, Broadwater suffered a torrid time with the bat. Graham Waller (one), O’Sullivan (13), and Les Ward (two) were removed early on by the impressive Wilson (2-29), and William Wright (1-21) to see the away side at 19-3.

Joel Lewis (23) and Challen (14) steadied the Broadwater ship somewhat but a flurry of wickets left the visitors reeling. The loss of Lewis saw Broadwater crumble even further as excellent bowling from Leo Anderson (3-17) and Andrew Armstrong (1-20) saw the away side go from 60-4 to 62-6.

Green was doing his best to frustrate the Ansty bowlers but his teammates’ wickets were falling at a rate of knots. Green’s rearguard display almost lasted the entire innings but his was the last wicket to fall as Broadwater suffered their third loss on the spin.

Broadwater travel to near-neighbours Findon next Saturday.

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