HYTHE 2nd XI vs FAWLEY 3rd XI

Hampshire Reg South West 2

Saturday 28th May

HYTHE 2'S LET IT SLIP IN LAST 10 OVERS AGAINST OILERS

 James PAGE 60

In a game of the 100% ers - Fawley 3rds beat Hythe 2nd XI on Saturday by 4 Wkts

Hythe had first use of the pitch and scored 20 off the first 3 overs in a promising start for the home side. However, Sean Tongs was out in the seventh over when he was caught off an edge which brought in-form Simon Dixon to the crease. Shortly after his arrival he lost his partner at the other end when skipper Mike Bowman was adjudged LBW to a ball from Atkinson that left Hythe 35-2 off 9 overs.

James Page then joined Dixon in the middle and the pair set about building a decent partnership by scoring steadily off all the bowlers. However, not long after the drinks break their 90-run contribution was broken when Dixon was bowled by Hilton for 57. That brought Luke Mills to the crease in the 27th over with Hythe on 125. He and Page kept the score ticking over but only a further 30-odd were added in the next ten overs as Fawley kept things tight.

Page was then out stumped for 60 when looking to accelerate the scoring and Mills (15) soon followed him back to the pavilion when he was caught out for 15. It was left to Ewan Bell (20 n.o.) & Ian White (9 n.o.) to find nearly 30 runs off the last 4 overs to take Hythe past the 200-run mark.

Fawley’s reply got off to a quick-scoring start despite the early loss of Cox who was well caught by James Page in the slips off the bowling of Blackwell (1-30). 69 runs came off the first 11 overs as the home side looked for a way to combat the free-scoring second-wicket pairing of Painter & Sturgess. However, the introduction of Ian Prentice (2-32 off 10) and Luke Mills (1-28 off 10) to the Hythe attack saw three quick wickets fall and Fawley’s run rate slow down. At drinks the game was in the balance as Fawley were 89-3 off 21 overs. Several tight overs in succession saw the required run rate increase considerably and the visitors needed to score 72 off the last 10 overs to win.

Unfortunately for Hythe, Atkinson & Headley were finding the boundary all too frequently and took the score from 137 off 35 overs to 190 off 40. The game was up for the home side soon afterwards and the Hythe players were left to reflect on what might have been as they recorded their first league defeat of the season.

Toss Won by : Hythe

Innings of : HYTHE 202 For 5 (42 Overs)

Fall of Wkts : 30-1, 35-2, 125-3, 172-4, 172-5.

Innings of : FAWLEY 3rd XI 203 For 6 (40.4 Overs)

Fall of Wkts : 22-1, 72-2, 87-3, 91-4, 136-5, 137-6

Hythe Bowling