OTTERBOURNE vs HYTHE 1st XI

Hampshire County Division 2

Saturday 9th July

Hythe and Dibden’s First XI losing streak extended to six matches with defeat at Otterbourne on Saturday.

Matt HOWE 4-34

On a slightly wet day to begin with Hythe lost the toss and were inserted to bat – no doubt after Otterbourne had researched the Green Caps’ recent batting woes.

They were proven right too as soon Hythe were in similar trouble with the wickets of Matt Young and Matt Howe falling with the score only on 12.

Richard Froggett then joined Mike Edwards at the crease. Edwards was opening in the absence of Rob James. The pair forged a 26 run partnership before Froggett was adjudged LBW. Just two balls later and Hythe were four down with Tom Richards being clean bowled for a duck.

For a while Edwards (27 inc. 4x4’s) and John Roberts (38 inc. 1x6 & 4x4’s) steadied the ship only for Edwards to receive a questionable LBW decision – the fourth member of the top order to see the finger raised.

After that, wickets fell intermittently with Roberts and Ewan Bell’s partnership unsurprisingly coming to an end with a run out.

Hythe’s tail managed to scramble a few runs before the close but, again the side were bowled out before the overs were used up for a paltry, but improved, total of 141.

In the field Hythe started brightly with the run out of Wallis in the first over by Matt Howe. However, this brought Otterbourne’s captain and key man Andy Hammett to the crease.

Under barrage from Hythe’s openers; Froggett and Russell Moore, the hosts to the score to 23 before Froggett removed Kendall-Ashton for 8.

However, Hammett remained at the crease and after seeing off Froggett and Moore, took a fancy to Mike Edwards and Rob Saunders by hitting two sixes off Edwards first over and taking 16 off of Saunders last over.

With the game slipping away from the visitors, Captain Matt Howe brought himself on alongside Harry Smith in the pursuit of wickets and just after the drinks break they got what they were after.

A double-wicket maiden from Howe was followed up by a wicket first ball of his next over to leave the captain on a hat-trick. Although it was not to be he had bowled Hammett for 66 (inc. 3x6’s & 7x4’s) and picked up two more wickets after fine catches from Harry Smith at slip.

With the score 103-5 the Green Caps could smell they were back in the game but a useful partnership between Keep (24 inc. 3x4’s) and Abbass (36* inc. 2x6’s & 5x4’s) took Otterbourne to the brink of victory.

Although Howe removed Keep to claim figures of 4-34 the total proved too low to defend again as Hythe slipped to the bottom of the table after the four wicket defeat.

Next week’s home game is a must-win against second-bottom Hursley Park if the team want to harbour any hopes of survival for the remainder of the season.

Toss Won by : Hythe & Dibden

Innings of : HYTHE 141 All Out (40.5 Overs)

Fall of Wkts : 10-1, 12-2, 38-3, 38-4, 64-5, 75-6, 82-7, 103-8, 129-9

Otterbourne Bowling

Innings of : OTTERBOURNE 142 For 6 (33.1 Overs)

Fall of Wkts : 1-1, 23-2, 101-3, 101-4, 103-5, 126-6.

Hythe Bowling