ROSEDALE Abbey have been forced to withdraw from the Feversham League, owing to an acute shortage of players, a situation which got progressively worse as the season unfolded.

Things looked promising at the start with fourteen members available, but the number began to dwindle, firstly to seven or eight, and then by the time of their scheduled home fixture with Glaisdale last Friday they could only muster three players, making their decision inevitable.

Rosedale joined the League in 2018, and their frustrations have been undoubtedly felt.

But it is becoming harder to encourage individuals to play cricket, and, unlike previous generations where village cricket was a way of life, there isn’t as much enthusiasm.

Rosedale’s remaining four un-played fixtures are regarded as conceded to their respective opponents, each gaining three points.

However, despite the setback, the League hasn’t ground to a halt.

Glaisdale and visitors Slingsby indulged in a run-fest, once a broken-down mower had been removed from the outfield.

Slingsby set about the luckless, but nevertheless persevering, Glaisdale bowlers with real intent, racking up 34 runs from the first two overs.

Despite losing a wicket at the end of the fourth over, they were unaffected, so successfully in fact that only one more wicket fell as they eventually recorded after 18 overs a gargantuan total for 184-2.

Normally, the individual scores of Jack Corner (38) and Josh Robertson (31) would grab the headlines, but not on this occasion.

Pride of place undoubtedly went to the talented Ben Corner for his superb 95 not out.

No doubt he must have had mixed feelings - pleasure at his own performance, but frustrated that the 18 overs expired with him five runs short of the magic century.

Slingsby’s innings contained an incredible 20 fours and five sixes.

To their credit, Glaisdale began their reply in a positive manner, keeping up with the required run rate for the first six overs, thanks mainly to Pete Stentiford (48) and Jay Allison (25).

But once wickets began to fall, it became necessary for Glaisdale to employ a policy of damage limitation in which they were successful, ending on a most respectable 146-7.

Iain Groark made 21 whilst Sam Newton was the pick of the bowlers with 3-20.

Lockton’s match with High Farndale was rather a strange affair, the former’s batsmen encountering problems with both the dark clouds circling the ground, and the freshly-mown outfield reducing the effectiveness of their shots.

Charlie Coulson held firm for a while whilst wickets fell at regular intervals, and it wasn’t until the arrival of Jack Garritty - who produced a range of thrilling strokes in his 22 - that Lockton were a little happier.

Figures of 3-8 for both Luke Dixon and Matthew Carmichael, backed up by 2-24 from Alfie Blacklock, kept Lockton sufficiently in check that their 62-9 was never going to be enough to trouble High Farndale.

Just 8.1 overs later, it was all over, with just the wicket of Tim Hunt, bowled by Garritty for 26, for Lockton to celebrate.

However, High Farndale were met with a much tougher opponent in Gillamoor, playing like a well-oiled machine.

High Farndale is not the easiest of places to score runs at a quick rate, but Gillamoor managed it, amassing 97-6 in 16 overs.

Not for the first time, Sam Farrow headed the list of individual scorers with 28, supported by Kit Saggers and Roy Baptiste - the latter a new recruit from Rosedale to sustain their championship aspirations.

Morgan Elven took 2-11, and Matthew Carmichael 2-31 amid a fine fielding display from the hosts.

It needed someone from High Farndale to play a substantial innings, however, unfortunately for them, it was not forthcoming.

Alfie Blacklock batted well to a doughty 24, but Max Gray (11) was the only other to reach double figures as Baptiste (5-8) decimated their lower order.

Earlier, Sam Farrow (2-17) and Adam Durrant (2-23) played their part in restricting High Farndale to 66 all out.

Slingsby had an off evening at Lockton with only eight players available, and paid the price with a seven-wicket defeat.

The consistent Ben Corner hit a whirlwind 29, supported by Stuart Watmore’s 11, but they could only muster 54 all out in 13 overs.

Paul Elgey was Lockton’s leading bowler with 3-7 from his three overs.

In reply, Lockton didn’t waste much time in securing a seven-wicket victory in only 8.5 overs.

Karl Edmund’s 32 snuffed out any lingering hopes Slingsby might have had, and Sam Beal showed good judgement with 17.