Hythe Come Up Just Short Against Southern League Totton

After the past few weeks inactivity it was great news to finally get a game in on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Southern Gardens, and although conditions were going to be tough due to the previous weeks poor weather Hythe & Totton put on a competitive match played in usual good spirit as is often the way when these teams meet.

Hythe Captain Simon Dixon surprised a few when electing to bowl first, but his decision was vindicated by a very fine bowling performance from his team.

Jon Weall making his debut took the new ball and bowled aggressively despite the slow low wicket, and he along with Richie Froggett kept S. Ennew & J. Bennett in check early on, and when Paul Whitlock & Wayne Effeny were brought in to the attack scoring did not get any easier. Bennett though was looking better the longer he was out there and following a drinks break he moved up a gear, but Hythe stuck to their task well and at 87 Luke Mills bowled Ennew for 34 and shortly afterwards at 103 Mills had M. Archer stumped by Kev James for 9.

Weall returning to the attack then accounted for Bennett for a well made 56 as Hythe made the Southern League side battle for every run. The dangerous Chris Thomlinson quickly got going as Totton countered but the returning Whitlock bowled J. Metcalf for 7 and then bowled Thomlinson for 20 and Totton were struggling at 145-5 with overs running out to post the expected big score. At 153 Whitlock picked up his third wicket having Rawlins caught by Wayne Effeny and there was still time for Effeny to grab a wicket in the last of the 40 overs bowling M. Ash for 5 to leave Totton & Eling on 156-7.

Hythe made a steady start in their chase with Dixon and Rob James putting on 21 before Dixon was bowled by a shooter when looking good for 15 by I. Richardson, Matt Howe came in and pushed the ball around nicely before being bowled by N. Eadens for 7 and Kev James then quickly followed again bowled by Eadens as Hythe stumbled to 39-3 with the Totton bowling proving just as difficult to deal with as Hythe's had earlier in the afternoon.

However James and Sean Tongs settled down and started to rebuild the innings and targeted Rawlins' spin with a few lusty blows, and with Totton's young Aussie M. Ash struggling with his line and front foot Hythe were back in the game but at 98 Hythe lost James for a solid 44 stumped off the accurate bowling of Thomlinson and at 117 the returning Richardson removed Tongs for 28 and with just 5 overs to go Hythe were now struggling with the run rate Bell 8, Effeny 0 & Whitlock 4 all fell in the late dash for runs as Rawlins got some payback for his earlier treatment but there was still time for Weall to thump 3 consecutive boundaries in the last over before Hythe closed 15 runs short at 141-9.

Innings of : TOTTON & ELING II 156 For 7 (40 Overs)

Hythe Bowling

Innings of : HYTHE 141 For 9 (40 Overs)

Totton & Eling Bowling