Hampshire S.W Regional Div 2

HYTHE 2nd XI vs BRANSGORE

Saturday 25th July

Effeny Guides Hythe To Win Over Basement Bransgore

Wayne EFFENY	Ian PRENTICE
66* Inc 11x4's & 4-26	10 - 6 - 10 - 0

An all round performance from Wayne Effeny ensured the Green caps did not slip up to strugglers Bransgore when they visited Jones’ Lane on Saturday.

Hythe welcomed Bransgore to Jones’ Lane with open arms knowing the bottom team in the league had still not won a game this season. The Green caps began in the field and after just two balls nearly had a wicket when the opening batsmen was dropped off Russell Moore.

Ian Prentice at the other end, after suffering the wrath of the umpires’ tight calling on wides, also started impressively tying the Bransgore openers in knots.

Unfortunately, the pair saw off Moore (8-1-18-0) and Prentice (10-6-10-0) and began to frustrate the rest of the Hythe attack. In fact after Lee Powell had also bowled economically and to no prevail Bransgore had reached 21 overs on 41-0.

Hythe finally made the breakthrough after 29 overs when Wayne Effeny bowled the left hander with the score on 69 - Bransgore’s biggest partnership of the season. Pete Stevens then atoned for his early drop when he took a sharp return catch to dismiss the other opening batsman, the drop coasting a mere 14 runs off 32 overs.

Towards the death Bransgore showed why they were the basement club as their middle order flailed at the bowling allowing Wayne Effeny to finish with 4-26 as the visitors closed on 133-5.

In reply the Green caps opened with Sean Tongs and Matt Young but they were soon separated when Tongs was given out LBW . Fortunately, the obdurate batting of Matt Young and experience of Effeny guided Hythe past the fifty mark at drinks and when Young was finally caught for 23 the Green caps had reached 68-2.

Effeny was then joined by captain Mike Bowman and they took advantage of some short bowling to steer the hosts to within touching distance of the win before Bowman departed L.B.W playing a leg glance.

Without much hesitation Effeny and Mills closed out the game with the former notching up another Hythe half century. A good all round game of cricket all but seals the second team’s position in the league.

Innings of : BRANSGORE 133 For 5 (42 Overs)

(D.Hunter 37, M.Thomas 29*, D.Lay 14)

Hythe Bowling

Catches - P.Stevens 1, G.Howe 1

Innings of : HYTHE 134 For 3 (35 Overs)