Hampshire County Division 2

Hythe & Dibden XI vs MIDHURST

Match Sponsors

5th July Played @ Jones Lane.

Bad Day For Hythe Against Powerful Midhurst  

Hythe got a real pasting from top of the table Midhurst at home this weekend who proved their championship credentials with a massive 163 run win.

Si Dixon won the toss and elected to field first, and with no Rich Froggett to open the bowling with Jon Weal the skipper used Paul Whitlock and he started really well passing the outside edge a number of times and keeping it tight at one end, Weallo struggled at the other end though as Midhurst openers Lush & Goodwin put on 40 for the first wicket.

Ben Kendrick introduced to the attack soon removed Lush for 20 and Simon Wright brought on at the other end had Atkins well caught by Rich Last for just 4, Goodwin now looking better at the wicket and Smith took the visitors to 94 before Wright struck again bowling Smith for 15. Goodwin and new partner Powell though took charge and lifted the run rate with a 52 run partnership, but when Goodwin fell for a fine 73 smartly caught by Rob James off the retuning Weall Hythe briefly had some respite from the free scoring.

Powell though was looking imperious and joined by S.May they continued to punish anything loose another 54 run partnership ensued taking Midhurst to 200, before Whitlock was brought back for the final 10 overs got rid of the dangerous Powell for 59 at 231 Kendrick bowled C.May for 12 and then 1 run later Matt Howe ran out S.May for 37, Kendrick  bowled Cowell for 2 and Kev James ran out Green for 0 at 237 as Hythe had fought back well. Whits had only gone for 29 with one wicket from 11 overs and Kendrick picked up 3 wickets to give the home side a chance.

Hythe needed a good start to have any chance, but it was not to be the reliable opening partnership of Rob James & Si Dixon could not get going against some accurate bowling from Powell & C. May and when Rob laced a cut shot only for it to be caught superbly Hythe wondered if was just not going to be their day.

Things went from bad to worse as Dixon 5 and Matt Howe 6 were both bowled by Powell, Simon Wright 2 Kev James 0 followed shortly and although Midhurst removed their opener when Ewan Bell fell for 1 Hythe were astonishingly 18-6.   Ben Kendrick & Paul Whitlock got the home side in to 31 before Whits injured a knee and was forced off the pitch, Kendrick decided to attempt to get Hythe to some respectability and although he lost Luke Mills and Rich Last he mixed good defence with aggression but at 68 he was quite brilliantly caught on the boundary for a fighting 39. Whits came out with a runner to try and get Hythe to 75 and a batting point, but at 74 he was bowled to just about some up the day for the home side. Powell completing a good day for the visitors with 6-20 to go with his 59.  

Toss Won by : Hythe

Innings of : MIDHURST 237 For 9 (45Overs)

Hythe Bowling.

Innings of : HYTHE 74 All Out (33.3 Overs)

Todays Sponsor Were