Hants County Div 2

HYTHE 1st XI vs SHREWTON

Saturday 23rd May

SHREWTON CRUSE TO VICTORY IN HYTHE SHOCKER

Rob SAUNDERS 4-56

Hythe 1st XI's two match unbeaten run came to an abrupt end at the hands of 3rd place Shrewton whose skipper S.Cruse scored 100. Hythe had the vistors on the ropes at 116 for 7 but determined batting by the lower order took the visitors over the 200 mark. Hythe without top batsman Rob James had no answers against some decent bowling and were completely outplayed to 109 all out.

Shrewton won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked a 240 wicket. Hythe got off to the perfect start when Jon Weall bowled J.Willis for 0 with the third ball of the innings. 5 overs later and they were 17 for 2 when Froggett had T.Barrett well caught by Kev James for 6. In his next over Froggett struck again bowling Bingley for 3 - Shrewton 28 for 3.

That brought in Stormonth to join Cruse and the pair set about the Hythe bowlers. Of Cruse's first 10 scoring shots 7 were 4's and one 6. Stormonth continued in the same vein. Of his first 8 scoring shots 6 were 4's. After 12 overs, when Hythe made a double bowling change - Shrewton had moved on 53 for 3. The inform Rob Saunders replaced Weall only to be hit for 18 off his first 2 overs. Simon Wright received the same treatment 12 coming off his first over. Cruse reached his fifty but at 91 Wright struck back bowling Stormonth for 27. Run maker R.Barnett soon followed as Wright caught off the bowling of Saunders for 0. Shrewton 104 for 5 and the green caps were fighting back. Saunders then had Sleeman trapped L.B.W for 8 and soon after Brewer was bowled by Saunders 1.Shrewton 116 for 7 and Hythe were closing in on a low score to chase. But to do that they wneeded to get rid of the Shrewton skipper as he closed in on a ton...

Hythe skipper Si Dixon then gambled - taking off Wright in place of Mills. It worked against Hamble but this time it didn't with 22 coming off his 2 overs. Shrewton were now finding the boundary with ease as the Hythe heads dropped. S.Gillott took his score to 22 in a partnership of 43 with Cruse when at 159 he was caught by Kev James off Saunders. Number 10 Clancy continued the run feast then with the scorer on 177 Cruse reached an excellent 100 an innings which included 13 fours and 5 sixes. Straight after though he was excellently caught and bowled by Wright for 100. 177 for 9 but Shrewton still wern't finished as number 10 & 11 put on 37 for the final wicket after the normally reliable Matt Howe dropped Bentley on 0. Shrewton 214 all out - Clancy finished 23 not out.

Hythe opened with Dixon and Wright but with the innings only 3 overs old - Wright tried to guide a ball through the slips only to be caught for 3. Hythe then got bogged down against some tight bowling. Matt Howe and Dixon took the score to 25 but it 13 overs to get there. Howe was then caught for 11. Daniels soon followed for 1 and Hythe were 26 for 3. Kev James and Dixon did settle the innings - taking the score to 50 before Dixon was out to the spinner Gillott for 16. Kev James top scored with 18 before being well caught in the slips by Cruise and when Froggett 7 and Page 7 followed Hythe were in all sorts of trouble at 78 for 7 off 30 overs. Saunders dug in for a time before being caught for 10 and a Mills first ball duck made it a pitiful 82 for 9.

The Weall brothers put their batsman to shame as the last pair added 27 for the final wicket but a bad day at the office for Hythe ended all out for a poultry 109. S.Gillott finished with 5 for 28 his second 5 for in two innings and my pre season tips for promotion were worthy winners.

So next week Hythe travel to the batting haven of Lymington in the hope that the batsman can turn things around. If they don't and the Selection Policy is still in place - the Skippers got some tough decisions to make. In 3 games our top 6 batsman have amassed only 151 runs which has to be a concern..

Innings of : SHREWTON 214 All Out (41.4 Overs)

Hythe Bowling

Innins of : HYTHE 109 All Out (38.5 Overs)

Shrewton Bowling