KNOWLE VILLAGE vs HYTHE 3rd XI

Saturday 15th May

It's Raining 6's @ Knowle As Hythe 3's Chase Down 220

Sam MEAD	Harry SMITH
63 inc 4x4's 7 7x6's	66* inc 7x4's & 1 x6
128 - 4th Wkt Partnership

The day Hythe visited the newest village in Hampshire will well be remembered by the 12 who were there and not only for the excellent run chase by the young green caps. Hythe chased down 220 to win with 22 balls remaining. Sam Mead (63) and Harry Smith (66) both scored maiden league half centuries and shared a 4th wicket partnership of 126.

A call to the Chairman on Friday pre warned the green caps that there were no changing rooms at the Knowle Ground as the club was in it's first year and new along with the rest of the village. The clubhouse development was also a year away. Apart from a rope around the square there was nothing except fruit trees on out arrival and the skipper was unlaoding everthing from his car. 2 pitches had been marked out both undersized as the new groundsman had clearly donw his work without a tape measure. The Knowle skipper decided to use last weeks pitch and after a few overs of suffering from the Hythe bowlers it was clear that this one was way too long - 1.4 yards to be exact.

Anyway Hythe won the toss and Tony North elected to field first but the game was then delayed as the Knowle skipper had to run back to the house for the match ball. Luke Blackwell took the ball along with Richard Last and both struggled with the length and the fact that the pitch was the same colour as the rest of the square - dark green. 61 came off the first 9 overs which forced Northy into a change. Chiverton's first over didn't get any better and when the ever reliable super Kev bowled his first two balls for wides it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon.

But the two veterans gradually gor their length together and the 8 an over run rate started to decrease. McCarthy especially was starting to cause the Knowle openers a bit of trouble and finally in the 13th over at 88 - breakthrough - he bowled S.Bell for 44. In his next over he then had skipper E.Boorman (star of the previous week) caught by Richards for 1. -Knowle 89 for 2.

At drinks they had moved onto 117 for 2. 11 came off Chiverton's first over after drinks as J.Wells opened up to get to his fifty. Josh Mead replaced Chiverton and immeadiately made an impact as he bowled Wells for 63. McCarthy finished his excellent 10 over spell 2-19 and by the 30th over Knowle had moved onto 142 for 2. After two expensive overs Tom Richards then claimed the wicket of Sorenson - caught by Stovell for 17 but a late charge from M.Eales 32* & N.Dalton 31* took the villagers to 219 for 4 at the close.

Hythe got off to a solid start through the unwell Tony North and young Zac Millar. The pair put on 53 in 13 overs before Millar held out at mid on for a useful 23. North struggled to 18 before being caught behind with a very good one handed catch, and when Richards fell for 4 - Hythe were 71 for 3 off 20 and the target looked too much.

Enter Smudge (Smith) and Bucket Hands (Sam Mead). The Under 17 pair got themselves settled in and then started to let loose on the home bowling. With 15 overs to go Hythe still needed 95 to win and at 10 - 69. Mead expolded with a string of sixes and Smith fours. 46 came off four overs as Mead brought up his fifty with 2x6's. Smith then brought up his fifty with a four as the pair added 126 in 17 overs before Mead finally went caught for an excellent 63. Hythe 197 for 4 - 35 overs

Richard Last smashed his first ball for 4 and moments later put a 6 towards the skate park. Soon after Last smasehd the winning runs and Hythe had won by 6 wickets to end a memorable day leaving the Knowle lads gobsmacked.

Their Chairman asked for our advise on what they needed to do to go forward - Northy with a smile said first get a tape measure and a groundsman. But fair play to them - a good bunch of lads trying to set up a new village side will take time. Saying that would we have been so kind with our words had we have lost - but forget that - it was Harry's and Meado's day - Smudge and Bucket !!!

Innings of : KNOWLE VILLAGE 219 For 4 (40 Overs)

Hythe Bowling

Innings of : HYTHE 220 For 4 (38.2 Overs)

Knowle Bowling

RESULT : HYTHE 3rd XI (21pts) Beat KNOWLE VILLAGE (9pts) by 6 Wkts