HYTHE SUNDAY XI vs ROBINS

Sunday 20th July

@ Jones Lane, Hythe

Hythe squeeze out close win over Robins

Strong batting from Mike Bowman, Rich Last and Matt Young earned Hythe a 3 wicket win over Robins on Sunday. Earlier Captain Russell Moore picked up three wickets to keep the score down.

On another fine Sunday afternoon at Jones’ Lane the Robins won the toss and elected to bat after having only nine players, Tom Huxley stepped in to make up the numbers for their team. Hythe opened the bowling with Pete Stevens Jnr and Russell Moore and it was the latter who struck first when May bottom edged onto his stumps with the score still on zero. The two kept the bowling tight and Stevens was rewarded for a much improved line and length with a wicket caught by Howe at point, after 10 overs Robins score had crawled to just 17-2. When Stevens and Moore were replaced after 14 overs the score was only on 23 with Stevens 7-4-18-1 and Moore 7-3-5-1.

Richard Last and Tom Richards came on and just after drinks Richards was rewarded with the wicket of Cox for 4 caught by Howe again before Last removed opener Davies for 19 caught by Sean Tongs to leave the visitors 28-4. A recovery was needed and B. Seymour set about the task almost single handed taking the attack to the bowlers especially against Richards, with his first 5 scoring shots being 6,4,6,4,4. Last however bowled tight and finished with 7-2-11-1.

Needing an extra bowler Moore turned to Sam Mead to bowl and he began well alongside Jonjo Stovell in trying to keep the run rate down. A useful 59 partnership between Seymour and Gillings (13) was finally ended when Stovell had the latter caught behind by Matt Young before next ball catching Johnson LBW to claim a double wicket maiden. Jonjo finishing with 5-1-21-2.

At the end of the Robins innings Moore and Stevens returned and it was Moore who picked up Adams caught by Rich Last before bowling Seymour for a well played 65 with a yorker. Tom Huxley made an appearance with the bat and scored one with an edge as the innings finished on 136 for 8 and Moore finishing with impressive figures of 9-3-15-3.

The Green caps feeling positive after their fielding effort could not have expected a worse start. In the second over Tongs deflected a shot off his pads before it rolled onto the stumps for a duck before Howe also departed, bowled for another duck. If that wasn’t enough Sam Mead was then trapped LBW to leave the Hythe innings in tatters on 4-3. For the second time in the game a rebuild was needed and Mike Bowman and Matt Young gallantly set about the task. After seeing off the impressive Crossley 9.2-1-39-2 and Cox 7-0-21-1 they scored with ease against the change bowling. When the 20 overs came up they had taken the score to 49-3.

A last push was needed and the pair took the score to 76 before Young fell for a good innings of 18. This would however spark a mini collapse of wickets by Hythe – as is commonplace on a Sunday with Page being LBW for a duck, then Mike was finally dismissed for a great 60 before skipper Moore was LBW for one leaving the task to Rich Last and Pete Stevens Jnr.

The Fonz took to the task immediately and produced a fine array of aggressive shots that spread the field and kept the Greens caps striding to their target. Helped by Stevens (11) who hit two fours in his innings Hythe appeared to be cruising but when Pete was bowled it brought in number 10 Jonjo Stovell with 22 still required from 4 overs. Hythe nerves were calmed when Rich smothered a six over mid on into the road with a hit Nardus would have been proud of and following more lusty blows the game was wrapped up with 10 balls to spare as Last finished on 39 not out. A thoroughly enjoyable game provided by both sides in good spirit on a lovely afternoon with Hythe coming out as victors by two wickets.

Innings of : ROBINS 136-8 (39 Overs)

Hythe Bowling

Innings of : HYTHE 140 For 8 (35.2 Overs)

(M.Adams 3-34, B.Seymour 2-22, D.Crossley 2-39)