SATURDAY FIRST XI

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY DIV 2

24th June Vs COMPTON & C/FORD

Too Easy For League Leaders

Hythe's weekend got off to a bad start when Paul Whitlock pulled out on Saturday morning with a tight hamstring.

Visiting the league leaders it was easy to see why Compton have won six in six so far this season with a very good bowling attack, attacking minded batting line up, eratic pitch, and another bonus in a dodgy umpire.

Hythe were well beaten by 8 wickets with 25 overs to spare despite a great effort from Nardus Grobler.

So all credit to Compton & Chandlers Ford ( Just loose the umpire )

Toss Won by Hythe

Simon Dixon won the toss and decided to bat first on a bone dry pitch that didn't look like your normal County 2 wicket .( can't explain ).

The Hythe openers were soon pinned down to some very tight bowling and eratic movement from the pitch.

Just 14 runs came from the first 10 overs which was to set the trend for the next thirty overs.

Kev James finally went for 1 in the 14th over and at the 20 over mark Hythe were 27 for 1 with Robbie James 28 still sticking in their with a very determined effort.

The Chandlers Ford umpire was certainly playing his part, failing to call atleast 25-30 wides and then two key dismissals. Firstly he gave Robbie James out LBW clearly when the ball had pitched outside leg and then gave out Si Dixon stumped for 6 supposedly stepping out of his crease?

58 for 3 at 30 overs and you began to wonder whether we were going to get to a 100.

Simon Wright and Dave Guymer improved things by scoring 23 off the next five overs but that was as quick as the scoring got. Brown finished qwith the impressive figures of 12-5-17-1 and into the attack come the veteran Deerlove.

He quickly removed Guymer 16 as well Kendrick 2 and Grobler 3. Hythe were then 100 for 6 off 35 overs. Two overs later things got worse as both Wright a fine 28 and Froggett ( reverse sweep that went terribly wrong ) 7 went in the same over. 112 for 8 with 3 overs to go. Alderman the went for 5 and Mills 0 and Hythe were all out for 120 in the last over.

Deerlove finished with the figures of 5-0-24-5.

Compton wasted no time in trying to get the game over quickly as the quickly went to 26 for 0 off 5 overs. On 42 Hythe got the breakthough as Macgee was caught behing off Grobler who was bolwing with a lot of pace and committment.

Forget the bowling figures Kendrick to had a lot of bad luck missing the stumps by a thread on numerous occasions and two chances two difficult chances being missed in the slips.

Grobler then got his second wicket when Pritchard was well caught by Wright in the gully and Compton were 64 for 2.

Grobler finished his spell with 2-15 off 7 a great effort. Froggett replaced him but it wasn't his pitch as he went for 45 off 6. B.Clark 35* and S.Parry 19* saw the leaders home in just 20.1 overs to take them to 7 wins in 7.

One bonus for Hythe was to see Luke Mills bowl his first overs at this level and turn the ball well 2-0-3-0. Another option for Dixie in the future?

Innings of : HYTHE 120 All Out ( 44.3 Overs )

Innings of : COMPTON 123 for 2 ( 20.1 Overs )

Hythe Bowling