TROJANS vs HYTHE SUNDAY XI

Sunday 27th July

@ Stoneham Lane

Record Breaking Hythe Storm Back To Shock Southern League Trojans in Incredible Victory.

A young Hythe Sunday XI stormed to a club record run chase of 295 with James Page and Matt Howe sharing an unbeaten 6^th wicket record partnership of 202 to guide the Green caps past the huge Trojans total on an exceedingly hot day at Stoneham Lane .

Hythe turned up at Stoneham's Lane with the conditions perfect for spending a long time batting first with a good pitch, fast outfield and extremely hot weather conditions. Unfortunately for the Green caps Captain Russell Moore lost the toss and were told they would bowl in a 40 over match against 8 man Trojans as their colts did not turn up.

Trojans opened with first team players Oakden and Robinson and they soon started piling on the runs against the young Hythe attack, Moore and Last were the first to be on the receiving end. When they were replaced by Mills and Powell the scoring rate slowed slightly and Mills was rewarded with the wicket of Oakden for 21 caught – just, by Ewan Bell. Mike Graham came on to bowl and kept the score down with his four overs going for just 18. However Robinson by now was past fifty and had his eye in hitting Mills for three successive sixes as the runs kept flowing.

Woods replaced Mills and bowled well which resulted in the wicket of Kochawowski for 29. This brought in first team opening bat Boyd and his quick fire 37 was ended by a catch off the returning Last by Mills. Pete Stevens Jnr at the other end initially struggled for length and was punished but corrected the problem which gave him the wickets of Kirwan for 1 and Robinson, bowled for 123.

With the Hythe players feeling heavy legged overseas player Pringlewood (23*) and Southern league Bronze’s 20^th top bat Lovett (38*) took the score to a daunting 294-5. The Green caps toil in the field summed up by 5 penalty runs when the ball struck the keepers helmet.

At tea the players were just happy that fielding in the hot sun was over and they could relax now, a score of 295 at 7.4 per over seemed a distant prospect, the first challenge was to not lose by over 200 runs.

The first over seen out by opener Greg Woods for a maiden doubled the maiden count for the match – only two more would come later. The first ball of the next over saw the returning Paul Kenworthy LBW for a golden duck which brought in Pete Stevens Jnr. Woods and Stevens would then put on 33 for the second wicket before the latter was caught for 10 off Ayres who also bowled Woods for 14. After ten overs Hythe were 47-3 needing another 248 at 8.3 an over. Ayres would end the only bowler with respectable figures of 8-1-32-3.

Mike Graham was then joined by Ewan Bell at the crease and the two looked to push the score along but a partnership of 24 was not enough at that stage when Bell was bowled for 12. At 93 Graham was caught for 19 in the 18^th over with Hythe still needing 202 from 22 overs at 10.1 per over.

Matt Howe joined James Page at the crease and got off the mark first ball – a rare sight for any first teamers. The pair then lay into the Trojans attack and kept up with the required run rate helped by some less than energetic Trojans fielding. The hundred partnership came up in ten overs and Page brought up his first Hythe half century before being joined on fifty by Howe when slack overthrows provided 5 runs.

With ten overs to go Hythe were 225-5 with 70 runs needed and the Green caps back in control. Trojans suddenly realised their poor attempts in the field were being punished and that their massive total may be under threat. It did not seem to matter as the unstoppable partnership charged on until 8 runs were required from the last two overs. A four from Howe almost sealed the victory and with 7 balls left Hythe wrapped up the incredible win by 5 wickets. James Page and Matt Howe’s partnership of 202* setting a new Hythe record in one of the largest successful run chases. Page 88* and Howe 92* striking 23 boundaries between them in an amazing turnaround.

Innings of : TROJANS 294-5 (40 Overs)

(Roibnson 123, Boyd 37, Lovett 38*)

Hythe Bowling

Innings of : HYTHE 295 For 5 (39.5 Overs)