It鈥檚 disappointing that we can鈥檛 seem to get both batting and fielding going in the same match.
聽鈥� Thom Barker, President, YCA
Yorkton鈥檚 cricket team narrowly missed out on its second win in a heartbreaking tight contest with the Regina Panthers Sunday.
The Panthers won the coin toss and chose to field first. Despite damp conditions on the pitch, the Yorkers finally got their bats going led by vice captain and all-rounder Akhil Kucheriya and captain Mandeep Singh.
The partnership put up a total of 103 runs with Kucheriya batting for 70.
A total of 144 at the end of the first innings would prove challenging for the Panthers to chase, but uncharacteristic weak bowling and fielding by the Yorkton squad aided the Regina team鈥檚 effort.
鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing that we can鈥檛 seem to get both batting and fielding going in the same match,鈥� said Thom Barker, Yorkton Cricket Association president. 鈥淲e gave up at least 14 runs that I can count on missed plays.鈥�
In addition, Yorkers bowlers gave up 18 runs on wide balls. Still, Yorkton held the Panthers鈥� two opening batsman to 51 runs and halfway through the match the total stood at only 63.
With five overs to go, the Regina squad still needed 47 runs to chase down 145. S. Ali, the Panthers鈥� third batsman was up to the task and, with a little help from the Yorkers bowlers and fielders, surpassed the Yorkton total in the 20th over to win by eight wickets.
鈥淲e absolutely should have won that match,鈥� Barker said. 鈥淲e put up a very good total and we took the Panthers right down to the final over. Ultimately we beat ourselves with extras. We gave them 31 runs.鈥�
The man of the match on the Yorkers side was without question Kucheriya, who, in addition to batting for 70 bowled three overs for only 17 runs.
The Yorkers鈥� next match is against the Regina Bengal Tigers on July 25.
