HYTHE & DIBDEN XI VS BIRMINGHAM OLD BOYS

Friday 25th August

Toss : Won by Birmingham

TAYLORS WINNING STREAK CONTINUES AS SKIPPER

Hythe welcomed back the Birmingham Old Boys yesterday and once again they enjoyed a great game of cricket and a lot of money spent behind the bar.

Chasing 239 to win the visitors made a game of it before going down by 19 runs with 5.3 overs remaining.

Hythe batted first on a bone dry wicket in surprisingly warm conditions.

Gary Howe opened up with skipper Alan Taylor and the two raced to 32 off the first four overs including a six each. But in the fifth over Taylor was out caught and bowled for 15.

That brought the inform Grobler to the crease and he quickly set about the wayward Old Boys bowling. Howe too was enjoying himself and the pair put on 57 before Thomas had Grobler caught for 24 which included 5 fours.

Gary Howe reached a welcome fifty and two overs later he was caught and bowled by the impressive Thomas. Howes innings included a six and 9 fours.

Hythe were then 108 for 3 off just 11.3 overs and one wondered if they were heading towards another North Curry score with Bowman and Tongs at the crease.

But then the run rate started to slow down. Boswell and Thomas began to find their line making it more difficult for the batsman. From 108 for 3 in 11.3 the score then went to 127 for 3 off 19.

Tongs made 6 the he was fourth to go being bowled by Thomas with the score on 127. Eleven runs later and Hythe were five down - Russell Moore well caught in the slips off the bowling of Naylor.

Matt Howe then joined Mike Bowman but with the score on 155 Hythe received a double blow. Mike Bowman was caught behind off the bowling of Foster for a good 32 and then next ball Tim Bath was caught for the dreaded first ball. - Hythe 155 for 7

Matt Howe began to play his shots and looked in good nick but with the score on 164 Hythe lost their 8th wicket when Luke Mills was caught and bowled for 8 off Naylor.

At this stage you wondered if Hythe were going to make it to 200 though they had plenty of overs left. But Lee Powell joined Howe and between them they shared in a stand of 66 for the 9th wicket. Matt Howe made 41 which included a six and 4 fours whilst Powell was not out on 18. Hythe declared at this point making 230 for 9 off 36.1 overs.

After some friendly negotiations from the skippers the Old Boys somewhat reversed their batting orders only for the inexperienced pair of France and Crwys-Williams to be up against the South African express.

Poor old France felt it first ball as Grobler bowled a beamer and it hit him on the back as he was trying to get out of the way.

He held out for Groblers first over but in his second the bails went flying. Wjilst Tim Bath was bowling tidely coming up the hill Grobler was denting Naylors batting at the other end - taking two more wickets in his third over and the Old Boys were 11 for 3 after 5.

Grobler came off after his 3 overs with figures of 3-7. Bath bowled on for 5 overs finishing with figures of 0-12. Foster joined Helm at the crease and the pair steadied the ship by putting on a partnership of 50 before Helm was fouth man out for 21 when he was caught and bowled by Lee Powell in his first over.

Whilst Chiverton 0-20 off 5 and Mills 0-29 off 5 had no success Powell began to create havoc. In his second over he claimed two more wickets bowling both Rowthorn and Pocklington. - Old Boys 72 for 6 off 19 overs.

Skipper Naylor joined Foster needing another 159 off 21 overs to win.

The next two overs added 27 runs and Naylor particulary took a shine to the short boundary. After his early success Powells last three overs went for 33 whilst Matt Howe's first three overs unjustly cost 28 runs. Foster reached a fine half century and after 27 overs he and Naylor had taken the score to 152 for 6 needing another 79 off 13 overs - game on. With the score on 155 - a breakthrough - Foster was well bowled by Matt Howe for 65. The a double wicket over by Russell Moore swung the game back Hythe's way. First he bowled Blackshaw for 2 and then had Thomas well caught by Lee Powell for 0.

Old Boys now 155 for 9 and fading fast. But Simon Naylor had other ideas. The Lymington Second XI batsman reached his fifty with a six off Russell Moore and then proceeded to hit the next two balls the same way. Moores figures went from 2-9 off 2 to 2-30 off 3. Old Boys now 185 for 9 off 31.

With 20 more coming off the next two overs and skipper Alan Taylor was calling for his big guns - on comes Mike Bowman and Nardus. Bowman first over went for just 6 and then Grobler coming up the hill was hit to the short boundary for 6 for the first time this year. Old Boys 212 for 9 off 34 overs - needing 19 off 6 overs with Naylor on strike.

Following two dot balls Naylor went for the short boundary once again and Taylor running in took a good catch off Bowman to win the game by 18 runs. Simon Naylor out for 83 including 8 fours and 4 sixes.Boswell was left 14 not out after sharing in a stand of 57 for the last wicket.

But a good game of cricket played as always in a very good spirit and for Hythe the much added bonus of the visitors drinking in the bar until their mini bus arrives at midnight.

The Second win of the day over the tourists came in the 12 lady/man Lager Boat Race.

Hythe led by the prison warden - Mrs James herself, and boosted by the experience in the middle of uni drunkie Becks - cruised to a five second win.

Innings of : HYTHE 230 for 9 ( 36.1 Overs )

Innings of : BIRMINGHAM 212 All Out ( 34.3 Overs )

Hythe Bowling