HYTHE SUNDAY XI vs FAWLEY

Sunday 29th June

@ Jones Lane, Hythe

Hythe Scrape Home For Much Needed Win

In a low scoring game Hythe earned themselves a much needed win by 2 wickets chasing 118. It took the Green Caps 40.4 overs to reach their target but who cares a wins a win. Ben Smith took his second 5 wicket haul in 8 days and Greg Woods 3-23 as the visitors were skittled out for 117 in just 23.2 overs. Things could have been much worse but for a whirlwind 74 from I.B.M skipper Peter Croxson which included 13 fours and 2 sixes.Mike Bowman 28 and Matt Howe 20* made sure of the Hythe win

Hythe won the toss and elected to bowl first in their latest Sunday encounter at Jones Lane. The home side had a terrific start when opening bowler Greg Woods struck twice in the third over of the game to leave IBM South Hants on 13-2, and the visitors found themselves in even deeper trouble at 16-3 when Woods grabbed a third wicket in his fourth over. The support offered by Richard Last (1-16) bowling down the hill proved invaluable as he had Jayes caught behind for 8, leaving the visitors desperately needing someone to stick around and put a big score on the board.

However, young off-spinner Ben Smith replaced Woods (3-32) and soon found himself amongst the wickets - including a treble-wicket maiden in his opening over. A swashbuckling 74 from number five Croxson batting gave the opposition's score some respectability before he eventually succumbed to the bowling of Smith (5-41) when he was well caught by wicketkeeper Matt Howe. It was left to Pete Stevens junior (1-28) to claim the tenth wicket when he clean bowled White for four to leave IBM South Hants all out for 117 inside 90 minutes. As well as Smith, Matt Howe also picked up a 5 for behind the stumps with 3 catches and 2 stumpings.

The Hythe reply started steadily enough with Sean Tongs (14) and Ewan Bell putting on an opening partnership of 32 before the former fell to a sharp caught and bowled chance snapped up by Hicks (3-26). The home side then quickly lost James Page without scoring and Bell (19) soon followed him back to the pavilion leaving Mike Bowman (28) and skipper Russell Moore (14) to add some crucial middle order runs to help the green caps regain the impetus. Once they had been dismissed though, the Hythe innings looked to be faltering as Tom Huxley, Ben Smith and Pete Stevens junior fell cheaply. It was left to Howe (20*) and Last (13*) to guide Hythe to their victory target of 118 and a much-needed two-wicket win.

But well done to I.B.M also for a very strong fight back in the field and some tight bowling that took Hythe 40.4 overs to get the win.

Innings of : I.B.M SOUTH HANTS 117 All Out (23.2 Overs)

Hythe Bowling

Innings of : HYTHE 118 For 8 (40.4 Overs)

(P.Hicks 3-26, M.Stride 2-8, K.Hewitt 2-34)