Bat or ball, Teague's got it all (From Free Press Series)

Bat or ball, Teague's got it all

Bat or ball, Teague's got it all

MONMOUTH Cricket Club moved a step closer to retaining the Flint & Cook Marches League Division 1 title with a crushing 127-run win at lowly Burghill & Tillington on Saturday.

Powerful batting displays from vice-captain Jonathan Roberts (64 not out), Dan Head (53), skipper Paul Swingwood (45) and David Teague (45), helped Monmouth to pile up a formidable 293-6 on a scorching afternoon.

Monmouth's sixth-wicket pair of Roberts and Swingwood provided the fireworks with a whirlwind 109-run stand in just nine overs towards the end of the innings.

Although home openers Clive Chadhani (43) and Mark Preece (40) batted well, off-spinner Teague snapped up 3-46 and struggling Burghill closed well short on 166-8.

The victory gave table-topping Monmouth their 10th win from 11 league matches and a third 'double' of the campaign.

Monmouth lost the early wicket of Dave Croudace (1), but his dismissal brought the prolific Teague to the crease.

The former Glamorgan 2nds batsman crashed four fours and four sixes in a breezy 45 from just 24 balls.

Opener Rob Prewett dropped the anchor with a solid 26, while Head collected nine boundaries in his 53 and the reliable Wayne Etheridge weighed in with 25.

Monmouth, who are sponsored by Misbah Tandoori Restaurant, were well set for a big total when Roberts arrived at the crease with the scoreboard showing 161-4 from 31 overs - and he did not disappoint.

Roberts showed no signs of the side strain which is stopping him from bowling as he tore into the Burghill bowlers.

Roberts cracked six fours and four sixes as he raced to his half-century in just 39 balls and eventually finished on 64 not out. Swingwood was just as belligerent, blasting three fours and three sixes in his 26-ball innings.

The sixth-wicket pair combined to pile on the agony for the shell-shocked Burghill bowling attack.

Burghill's opening bowler Preece took the brunt of the big hitting, finishing with 3-90 from 11 overs.

To their credit, the Herefordshire outfit made a bright start in pursuit of the huge target, with Preece and Chadhani putting on 65 for the first wicket. But Burghill's innings dropped after the openers were separated and the home side slipped to 114-5.

Teague was the player chiefly responsible for the home team's collapse, and he was well supported by Swingwood (2-34 from 12), Ed Barlow (1-15 from six) and Alex Richards (1-18 from eight). Head (1-9) also chipped in with a wicket from the one over he delivered at the finish.

Wicketkeeper Jonathan Davies made a stumping, while Etheridge and Swingwood held catches as Monmouth impressed.

The match balls were sponsored by DS Smith Tri-Wall Ltd and former Monmouth player Rob Williams.

Reigning-champions Monmouth will be aiming to keep up their title bid when they entertain bottom club Canon Frome at the Sports