DEVON TOUR

Sun 9th - Wed 12th July

Sun 9th July - Vs NORTH CURRY ( TAUNTON )

Bowman and Grobler break opening stand with an unbeaten stand of 246 as Hythe score 308 for 2 off 40 overs.

After heavy drizzle for most of our journey down it was great to see the skies brighten ten miles out of Taunton.

Set in the grounds of the picturesque Taunton School the lads were impressed by the setting of our first match where 3 days earlier they had hosted a match including famous names such as Sachin Tendulkar, Aravinda De Silva and Agit Agarker.

After a trip to the local pub ( because none of the host club had arrived ) skipper for the day 'Asbo' Al Taylor negotiated the toss and we prepared to bat first.

Mike Bowman and Nardus Grobler were the envy of the batsman amongst the tour party as they opened the innings for Hythe.

The first 3 overs went for just 12 runs but that was as good as it got for the home side whose seven bowlers all suffered as the sun come out to give us a fine afternoon.

Hythe's 50 came up in the 8 over and 100 in only the 14th over as both batsman found the boundary with ease. It is fair to say that the fielding from the home sdie was not clever and Max had he been there would have been embarrased.

Grobler was first to his 50 which included 9 fours. Bowman then followed and his fifty included 6 fours.

At the halfway mark 20 overs Hythe were 130 for 0 and poor old froggie was itching to get in at 3.

Grobler began to let looses at this stage and the 150 came up in the 22nd over. Four overs later and Grobler reached his first hundred for Hythe ( 18 x 4, 1 x 6). The 200 came up in the 28th Over and the record was on as everyone was looking for their handbooks.

Grobler continued to play his shots with plenty of strike and in the 32nd over the record of 242 set by Eugene Burzler and Kev James was broken. With that Nardus agreed to retire scoring 138 not out ( 21 x 4, 4 x 6 ) a great weekend with the bat for the guy after scoring 50 on Friday and 60 on Saturday.

Mike Bowman kept going to reach his hundred and likewise retire with 6 overs to go. Bowmans 103 not out included 11 fours and some lovely cover shots.

Rich Froggett was joined by Alan Taylor and continued the run fest. In the final over Hythe reached 300 with a Froggett 6 but next ball he was caught for North Curry to claim their first wicket. Froggett made 24 which included 1 x 4, 1 x 6.

Taylor was joined by Tongs but after a wide first ball he was stumped for 0 to bring amusement from the balcony.

Hythe finished their innings on 308 for 2 with Taylor 11* and Ewan Bell 0*.

Hythe opened the bowling with Kev James, Tongsy took the gloves. The two North Curry openers looked in good nick and after 10 overs had reached 59 for 0. At 15 overs they had increased that to 96 for 0 and game on - not really - but Asbo must have started to worry because into the attack comes Rich Froggett.

Robinson reached his fifty but with the score on 99 the breakthrough a good catch in the gully by Taylor off Froggett.

110 for 1 became 110 for 3 as Miller had Pepper caught by Robbie James for a very entertaining 43 and then next over Froggett bowled North Curry skipper Pike for 3. Steve Miller bowled well for his 5 overs 1-19.

With the game now most certainly over Hythe introduced several bowlers. Rob James 0-24 off 5 and Dave Guymer 0-13 off 4 bowled tidy spells but Selsey and Golby looked settled and shared in an unbeaten stand of 133 before the close. They particularly took it out on poor old Ewan whose 5 overs went for 49.

Hythe Won by 65 Runs - a great venue - but the hospitality poor.

Innings of : HYTHE 308 for 2 ( 40 Overs )

Innings of : NORTH CURRY 243 for 3 ( 40 Overs )

Hythe Bowling

Monday 10th July Vs DARTINGTON & TOTNES

Match Rained Off

What a shame - lovely ground out in the sticks and to be fair we wouldn't have started if it had been on our wicket.

Tuesday 11th July - BRIXHAM

Tongs and Froggett with 91 partnership for 7th wicket get Hythe out of jail and set up win.

On a lovely hot day we moved 8 miles down the coast for a game at Brixham. Nice ground with large clubhouse - bar takes 100k a year - could do with that - nice friendly atmosphere around the club pleasant fixture.

Hosts Brixham included several colts into the midweek fixture. Therefore skipper for the day Rich Froggett won the toss and elected to bat first.

Kev James opened the innings with Si Dixon and the pair started well against some early wayward bowling. The fifty came up in the 10th over but with the score on 59 Hythe lost their first wicket Dixon bowled by Upham for 27. With the score on 68 James followed for 19. Hythe 68 for 2 which was soon to become 73 for 4 as Tim Bath 3 and Ewan Bell first ball duck followed suit.

Hythe in a spot of bother which quickly became worse as Rob James 3 and 'Ribery' Bunce 0 came and went.

Hythe 92 for 6 off 24 overs. 16 overs left - Time for the skipper ( Froggie ) to play a responsible innings and the reliable 'guru' Sean Tongs to get us out of difficulty. The pair put on an partnership of 91 before Tongs was caught behind for 71. A very good knock which included 9 fours.

Grobler was out with the first ball of the last over for 8 and Hythe finished on 197 for 8. Richie Froggett finished unbeaten for a valuable 34 ( 4x4, 1x6) and Mike Bowman 2*. For Brixham Upham finished with 6-32 off 8 whilst Jago had the impressive figures of 2-18 off 9.

Brixham got off to a solid start with 26 coming from the first 5 overs. Grobler tweaked his archilles which was a bit of a worry but he was eager to bowl through his spell of 8 overs.

Rich Bunce was bolwing a steady line and was rewarded with the first wicket when Newman was caught in the slips by Chiverton. 28 for 1. Six runs later Buncy had his second wicket when Ward was caught by Kev James for 17 the first of his 6 cathces during the innings. When Bunce and Grobler finished their spells Brixham were 64 for 2 off 16 overs and still in with a chance.

Bowman and Chiverton had differewnt ideas. First Bowman in his first over had Thomas caught behind for 3 and then Lanyon who was begining to strike the ball well got a nick on Chivertons first ball and out caught behind for 23.

Brixham now 65 for 4. There collapse was similar to Hythe's except their tail was longer. Chiverton picked up 2 more wickets with the help of Kev James and then it was Tim Bath's turn to get in the act with 3 wickets in 3 overs, two caught behind and one bolwed. Brixham had gone from 65 for 2 to 117 for 9. Newman 24 tried to give the Brixham score some respectability but at 117 he was caught by Bell off Robbie James to wrap up a 80 run win for the watersiders.

Innings of : HYTHE 197 for 8 ( 40 Overs )

Innings of : BRIXHAM 117 all out ( 31.2 Overs )

Hythe Bowling

Wednesday 12th July Vs UPLYME & LYME REGIS

Another pleasant ground though the wicket needs some tlc. Steve Miller was elected captain on his 20th birthday. The opposition was a real village side like something out of the darling buds of may.

Disappointingly Uplyme started with only 9 players and Miller won the toss and elected to bat first. As it was the last day of tour there was little response from our side to assist the home side with fielders.

Robbie James opened the innings with Alan Taylor and the pair took time to get going against some tidy opening bowling from the home side supported by some good fielding from the colts.

Only 22 was scored off the first 7 overs and then Hythe lost their opening wicket when Rob James was bowled by Jones for 3. Si Dixon joined Taylor in the middle and graduallly they uped the pace. 37-1 @ 10 & 111-1 @ 20 overs.

Dixon reached his 50 first and took the score to 143 before getting restless and was stumped for 77. (7x4,1x6). Ewan Bell came in at 3 and shared in a stand of 28 with Taylor before running him out for 77. Taylors innings included 11 x 4's.

Guymer joined Bell with 10 overs to go and the pair put on 40 before Bell was bolwed for 26. Guymer finished on 39 not out and Froggett 10 not out as Hythe completed their innings at 246 for 4. Well done to Uplyme though as the young players kept going throughout.

After a lovely tea Hythe took to the field. Buncey and Kev James opened the bowled. Both looked like they had had half a dozen scones and clotted cream each. James though claimed the first wicket when he bowled Lamb-Wilson with his 3rd ball.

At 17 the second wicket went down when Guymer (who had a blinding game in the field) ran out McLennon for 0 with a direct throw. 'Ribery' to his disgust was taken off by our young captain after just 3 overs as the 'Guru' was brought into the attack Notice young Miller didn't do the same to his dad.

Upyme took the score to 57 before they lost their third wicket - Kev James again the bowler but what a catch - Guymer superbly holding onto the ball outstretched. Tony Woodhouse has it on camera as a training tool for 'small hands' Dixon.

Kev finished his spell 2-34 off 8 overs a fine piece of bowling from the veteran which reminded me of his debut match when he collected five Beaulieu wickets as a bowler.

Tongsy too was bowling well ( 5 out of 6 balls the other was in the hedge) and as I was umpiring he was talking through every ball to me.

He got his reward for a tidy spell in the 16th over when he had the dangerman Batey caught by the flying 'Bambi' Guymer for 30. Upyme 85 for 4. Next over 85 for 5 as Bell bowls a beauty.

Bellies first 3 overs were very tidy 1-12 but the forth doubled his figures and our tough captain took him off. A 50 partnership between Daniels 37 and M.Brimicombe 30 took the score to 131 for 5 off 26 overs. Don't beleive it Rich Froggett hands over the wicket keepers gloves to Kev James so he can have a bowl. Anyone would think its the Presidents Cup Final.

5 balls later and the partnership is broken as Daniels is bowled by Froggett for 37. Dave Guymer catches another one to give Froggett his second wicket and Uplyme are 146 for 7. M.Brimicombe finally goes when Robbie James has him caught behind by Kev and the match is ended when the Guymer/Froggett double act dismiss ten year old Lines for 1. Uplyme 156 all out and Hythe complete their tour with a 90 run victory.

Innings of : HYTHE 246 for 4 ( 40 Overs )

Innings of : UPLYME 156 ALL OUT ( 33.2 Overs )

Hythe Bowling