LOCKSHEATH vs HYTHE XI
Sunday 19th April
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| The New Clarkey - Skipper Pagey Strikes The Pose |
Hythe let opening day win slip away as new captains James Page and Matt Howe have to begin with defeat.
Hythe’s first game of the season against Locksheath at Sarisbury Green started with the green caps in the field. Opening the bowling was Jon Weall and Mike Edwards who both began impressively to restrict Locksheath in the early overs. After a small opening partnership Hythe then made a double breakthrough with the score on 20 before Jon and Mike were replaced by Rich Last and Russell Moore.
They continued the good work set down by the opening pair and restricted Locksheath to a scoring rate of only three an over. The final bowling pair were the much anticipated spin siblings of Ben and Harry Smith bowling in tandem for this first fixture. Harry’s first ball was a beautiful googly that deceived both batsman and ‘keeper. Unfortunately that was as good as it got for the pair as they went for combined figures of 10-0-75-0.The four seamers all then returned and allied by a direct hit from Moore plus catches from Howe, Last and H.Smith Hythe eventually closed the Locksheath innings on 166-9 with Weall and Last taking 3-23 and 3-24 respectively. For Locksheath opener J Hughes held the innings together with a marvellous 80.
The green caps then opened their innings with Sean Tongs and Tom Porter and it was the former who scored the first Hythe run of the season. Unfortunately that was the only run he would score as he was first out for just one.Tom Porter also joined him in the pavilion soon after for just three.
That wicket brought together captains Howe and Page who set about the target immediately.Reminiscent of their record partnership last year, both players seemed in good touch and were gradually decreasing the required run rate.
Again, however, Hythe were pegged back as Howe was bowled for 33 by star batsman Hughes ending a 48 run partnership.Page then set about establishing a new partnership with Matt Young, but once more Hythe lost a wicket when Page was bowled for a promising 30. Young was then joined by Harry Smith but a couple of wickets fell quickly as Matt hit the first six of the Hythe campaign before being out LBW next ball for an encouraging 20. Harry was then run out for one in a mix up with Rich Last who went on to crack 31 including a six but like all the other Hythe batsmen fell at a crucial time. Mike Edwards also departed for a low score while Ben Smith concluded the Smith family’s poor outing with the first duck of the season.Soon after Jon Weall was clean bowled leaving Hythe 142 all out and 25 runs short of their victory target. A game they really should have won.
Innings of : LOCKSHEATH 168 For 9 (40 Overs)
| Batsman | How Out | Bowler | Runs |
| 1. J.Hughes | Ct. M.Howe | Weall | 80 |
| 2. J.Paskins | Bowled | Weall | 16 |
| 3. B.Ireland | Bowled | Weall | 0 |
| 4. J.Griffiths | Ct. H.Smith | Last | 14 |
| 5. A.Paskins | Bowled | Moore | 4 |
| 6. S.Read | Run (Moore) | Out | 32 |
| 7. M.Jones | Bowled | Last | 0 |
| 8. * H.Walker | Ct & Bd | Last | 1 |
| 9. J.Read | Not | Out | 7 |
| 10. S.White | L.B.W | Edwards | 2 |
| 11. I.Walker | Not | Out | 1 |
| Extras - 9 | TOTAL | 168 For | 9 |
Hythe Bowling
| Bowler | Ov | Mn | Runs | Wkts |
| J.Weall | 8 | 1 | 23 | 3 |
| M.Edwards | 7 | 1 | 24 | 1 |
| B.Smith | 5 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| H.Smith | 5 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| R.Moore | 7 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
| R.Last | 8 | 1 | 24 | 3 |
Innings of : HYTHE 142 All Out (35.5 Overs)
| Batsman | How Out | Bowler | Runs |
| 1. S.Tongs | Bowled | J.Paskins | 1 |
| 2. T.Porter | Bowled | White | 3 |
| 3. M.Howe | L.B.W | Hughes | 33 |
| 4. * J.Page | Caught | Jones | 30 |
| 5. + M.Young | L.B.W | Jones | 20 |
| 6. H.Smith | Run | Out | 1 |
| 7. R.Last | Bowled | White | 31 |
| 8. M.Edwards | Caught | A.Paskins | 6 |
| 9. J.Weall | Bowled | J.Paskins | 2 |
| 10. B.Smith | Bowled | J.Paskins | 0 |
| 11. R.Moore | Not | Out | 0 |
| Extras - 15 | TOTAL | 142 All | Out |
Locksheath Bowling
| Bowler | Ov | Mn | Runs | Wkts |
| J.Paskins | 7.5 | 1 | 11 | 2 |
| S.White | 8 | 2 | 11 | 1 |
| H.Walker | 4 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| J.Griffiths | 5 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| J.Hughes | 4 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| M.Jones | 4 | 0 | 35 | 2 |
| A.Paskins | 3 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
RESULT : LOCKSHEATH Beat HYTHE XI by 25 Runs |
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| Fonzy on his way to 31 | Mike Edwards - Looked good for one shot. |
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| Matt Young send one into the street for 6 | Harry sets off for a quick single - Fonzy has other plans |
AND FINALLY - SORRY CHAPS
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| Weallo | Fonzy | Skipper |
Thanks goes to Pete Henley for the pictures