DEVON TOUR

BOVEY TRACEY vs HYTHE & DIBDEN

Thursday 12th July

DROPPING SKIPPER PROVED COSTLY AS HYTHE FINISH TOUR WITH DEFEAT

Thursdays Game @ BOVEY TRACEY.

Final day and sore bodies but the lads are in good humour thanks to Woody who is nominated skipper for the day.

Expectations of what to expect at Bovey are high and the usual critics that we are going to get hammered come from the usual people - mention nonames but its a Big Issue.

Big score going down the bypass - we go past a service station to the chairman at the roadside with his pants down doing a moony and the car in front does an emergency stop.

When we get to the ground were not disappointed a lovely surface and a grand old pavilion. Clouds all around the ground are black but the weather stays fine. The Chairman wins the toss and decides to bat. Once again the James brothers are relied on to give us a good start. A steady start sees Hythe go to 46 in the 12th over before Kev James is out for 15. Five runs later and Robbie joins him for a beer out for 28 bowled by the aussie wicket keeper. Mike Edwards looks in good nick and hits a couple of glorious fours whilst Tongsy is pushing and prodding.

At 20 overs Hythe are 67 for 2 and finding the going tough against some decent senior colts from the Devon Premiership team. At 86 Hythe lose their 3rd wicket and 4th and 5th. Edwards caught for a good 28, Wrighty run out by the Guru for 0 and Dave Guymer LBW for 0.

Enter Rich Froggett ( the responsible one) He and Tongsy set about restoring a decent total when Tongs was bowled by De Jong for 12. Hythe 98 for 6 which then came 98 for 7 when Punchey Mills ( who says he is in good nick ) is out for 0. 7 overs still to go Bell joins Froggett and the pair put on 50 in the final 7 overs to give Hythe a chance at 148 for 7.

Another excellent tea and Woody led out to the Green Caps for the final time. An early strike was needed if Hythe were going to win this game. Hythe opened with the reliable Froggett and Dave Guymer in the absence of Nardy. In the second over Guymer struck as Rob James picked up the catch. The Bovey skipper was at the other end and looked a very useful first team player. With the score on 30 for 1 Punchey drops the skipper with a dollie. After a qucik smile the next minute he's blazing the ball all over the park. Guymer got taken off after 4 overs (1-28) and Wrighty joined the attack. After bowling a couple of beamers and wides he got the breakthrough caught & bowling the Bovey skipper P.Bradley for 34. Frogget then got Hammett with an excellent catch by Pumchey for 28 and Hythe had a very slim outside chance.

D.Green 20 and A.De Jong 28 then pushed the score over the 120 mark before Kev James struck having De Jong caught by Mills. Next over and Edwards run out Green with some fancy footwork 130 for 5. Next over Kev James bowled Hudson for 2 - 136 for 6 and woody was asking for one last effort. 140 and Robbie James caught and bowled Longstreet for 2. But Steer then came in and hit two fours to win the game Bovey Tracey 150 for 7 and a 3 wicket win. Who knows what might have happened if we had got the skipper early but then Bovey had their Australian State Under 19 player batting at number 11.

Innings of : HYTHE 148 For 8 (40 Overs)

Innings of : BOVEY TRACEY 150 For 7 (25 Overs)

( P.Bradley 34, L.Hammett 28, A.De Jong 24)

HYTHE BOWLING