WINGHAM'S first grade cricket team suffered their first outright loss in 14 seasons when going down to Old Bar at Chris Dempsey Oval on Saturday.
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Not since round two of the 2000/01 season, when rolled by Harrington at Johnny Martin Oval, has Wingham been beaten outright.
Heading into day two at five down for 79 chasing Old Bar's 202, Wingham held some hope of victory with Matt Essery, Brad Staff and Mick Stinson still to be dismissed.
But arriving to find the ground only half mown and the wicket under-prepared affected the mental state of the players .
Essery and Ryan Williams took the score to 95 before Essery was caught behind off Paxton Kelly for 13. Staff lasted one over before being bowled by Danial Stone for a duck, Williams was caught and bowled for 21, and Stinson (six) and Allwood (zero) were both caught for the innings to end on 112. Stone claimed three of those wickets to finish with five for 40 from 17 overs.
Wingham were sent back in 90 runs in arrears and the carnage began immediately as David Rees cut a swath through the top order.
Bridge, Niven, Staff and Morris all fell to Rees as Wingham slumped to four/three inside eight overs. The first three batters all made ducks with Staff recording only his second 'pair' in over 200 first grade games.
Essery and Adam Carney put the brakes on a bit until Essery was out for 16.
Williams took the attack to the Old Bar spinners and blasted three sixes in a good knock of 33, whilst Carney was last man out for 13 from 82 balls.
But Old Bar proved too good under the conditions to roll the visitors for 77 and record outright points.
Rees returned 5/11 off 12 overs to go with his century in a great all-round performance whilst Stone picked up 4/28 from 7.2 to give him nine wickets for the match.
Wingham now has to re-focus for their match against Taree West, who was also beaten outright, at Johnny Martin Oval as the result should determine which of those teams makes the semis.