PRE SEASON FRIENDLY

Sunday April 22nd Vs SARISBURY ATH

Hythe Suffer Second Loss

As Batsman Fail to Convert Good Starts

On a mild day with a relatively bouncy Astroturf track Hythe won the toss and elected to bat first . Hythe opened with Robbie James and Tom Porter to face the Sarisbury openers, who bowled with good accuracy despite some poor fielding.

Hythe started well with 17 coming off the first 6 overs. Robbie was the first to open his arms hitting three smart fours including one straight past the bowler. But just as he looked in touch his next attacking stroke was edged behind to the keeper Millward who would end up with catches for the first three wickets.

In came skipper Al Taylor to join Tom Porter who after a slow start in which he survived two drops from behind – one catching practice for second slip that somehow was put down, open his arms. The pair pushed the score onto 56 before Taylor walked after bottom edging behind.

Soon after the third wicket was down, Tongsy edging to keeper Millward for a duck that he contested after the decision by Steve Miller, their record apparently to continue this season. A touch of rebuilding was needed and in came Mike Bowman to join Porter at the crease, after getting off the mark with a couple of thick edges Mike launched a leg side six into the trees, the only six of the innings. After pushing the score onto 80 and looking comfortable Hythe lost another wicket and with the loss of Porter for 31, another impressive knock, it brought in Matt Howe.

It was however another case of players getting in and not hitting a big score, Mike Bowman departing for 25, the fourth Hythe player to be dismissed when seemingly playing well and despite a 44 partnership between Howe 26 and Grobler 31, the lack of partnerships and a really big score limited Hythe to 178-9, Steve Miller hitting a couple of aggressive strokes for 12. Sarisbury’s opener Martin bowling tidily for 8-3-23-1 and spinner O’Connell 8-1-34-4.

Hythe opened with Grobler and S.Miller like last week and the pair bowled well,especially Miller who was very tidy and rewarded with the first wicket when Reeves chopped onto his stumps. Sarisbury’s other opener Tostovin however played well and timed some very nice shots past the Hythe field, when he was finally dismissed for 34 it took a fine diving catch from Robbie James to give Miller his second wicket and finish on 7-1-33-2. On came Mike Bowman and Darren Miller who both bowled good lines and length for economical figures, Bowman replaced by Ben Smith then caught Horton 19 at slip in Ben’s second over before the very next over Mike taking another catch at slip from Miller to dismiss Cooper.

92 -4 and Sarisbury were slipping slightly, then the return of Nardus brought another wicket, Black bowled for 26 and Sarisbury 118-5, the match evenly positioned.

Then for the first time Hythe’s fielding started to let them down, a couple of drops and overthrows twinning with loose bowling from Moore again let Goodman (35*) and McKeever (40) take Sarisbury to the brink of victory and despite Robbie James getting his complimentary Sunday wicket with the score on 171 Sarisbury made their target of 178-6.

Once again it was the youngsters who impressed with Tom Porter again batting well for 31 and Steve Miller pick of bowlers with 2-33

Innings of : HYTHE 178 for 9 (40 Overs)

Innings of : SARISBURY ATH 182 for 6 ( 33 Overs)

(M.McEaver 40, N.Goodman 35*, P.Tostovin 34, I.Black 26)

Hythe Bowling