Clowne arrived at Harthill a good hour before the game was due to start and got into some organised fielding practise. After 2 consecutive defeats we were looking to get maximum points to climb back up the table.

Skipper Adam White lost the toss and Clowne were surprisingly put into bat, by the stand-in Harthill skipper C.Page, on a very green looking wicket. Clowne opened the bowling Jamie fellows (10-1-24-3) and Matthew Linacre (7-1-18-1). Both bowled with extreme accuracy but remained wicket less until the tenth over when Fellows had the Harthill skipper out caught and bowled for 6. Then, two balls later, Fellows struck again, with the help of a very good catch at mid-on from Matthew ‘coat’ Parker, to remove Thorpe for 0.

A double bowling change saw Linacre replaced by Calvin Cook (7-0-21-2) and Fellows replaced By Joe Kinsey (7-0-35-1), trying to prove a point against his dad’s team. Kinsey struck immediately bowling Briggs (12) round his legs. His celebration said it all as Kinsey raced down the wicket kissing his Clowne Town Badge on his shirt. Then it was Cook’s turn to get in on the act thanks to one of the catches of the season. Whiston (6) edged the ball and Dicky Askew (after his stunning catch last week) dived full stretch to his right tip the ball down towards the floor. Never fear however as like a salmon leaping through the air came John ‘Gloves’ Hendley diving to his left and he scooped the ball up just before it hit the ground. Martin Fox (24) and A.Page (25) fought back well before Fox was superbly run out by a marvellous pick up and throw from snatch. Page was then bowled by Matthew Osborne (5-0-22-1).

Cook was brought back into the attack and picked up the wicket of Coatsworth(8). Linacre struck and removed Radford for 19. Then Fellows picked up the prize wicket of the proclaimed ‘king of the crease’ Barry Kinsey in the final over, uprooting his off stump. With 2 balls remaining to get one wicket for maximum bowling points, Fellows could not dispose of Shimwell (2*) and Harthill finished on 141-9.