Big-hitting Bridges helps Hambleden beat local rivals

HAMBLEDEN ran out 47 run winners in their home friendly match with GREYS GREEN on Sunday.

Hambleden were put in to bat and openers Rosier and Bridges steadily built a huge partnership. Bridges hit his 50 just after drinks but in the 27th over, Rosier finally succumbed on 47, given lbw, off the bowling of Skilleter, the wicket falling with the score on 130. Bridges went on to score 70, including seven fours and a six, before being caught by Ahmed at long on, off Cusden.

Shafqat (0-25-6) and Ahmed (0-48-8) bowled without reward before Skilleter and Cusden took over. With 10 overs remaining and the score on 143-2, a big score looked likely, but the run rate fell away and the final total was 169-5 off 40 overs. Cusden caught Francis on 15, at cover off Jenkins, then bowled Murton on seven, finishing with 1-18 off seven. Having hit a four on his first ball, Sanders was then bowled on his second by Jenkins (2-17-6).

After tea Grant and Moore set about restricting Greys Green’s openers, Shafqat and Ahmed, with spectacular effect as Grant bowled Shafqat with his first delivery, then number three batsman Jenkins on nine, two overs later. It took Moore until his final over to bowl Ahmed on just six, but he had bowled tightly, conceding just 10 runs off his eight overs.

Bridges came on for Grant (2-16-8), and bowled Cross on eight in his first over. Greys Green were reeling at 28-3 off 17 overs, but Holroyd and Skilleter settled the nerves and proceeded to score some runs. Sanders replaced Holloway (0-33-4) and had Holroyd caught at point by Arnold on 46.

Paul took a fine catch at square leg off Bridges to dismiss Skilleter on 20, and return the initiative to Hambleden. Greys Green were still 71 short of the required total with 12 overs left. Bridges bowled Davies on eight, in his final over, to return figures of 3-32 off eight overs, then was replaced by Paul who bowled Cusden on 17 and Nigel Dennis on one, Greys Green finishing their innings on 132-9 off 40 overs.

The previous weekend HAMBLEDEN ran out narrow eight-run winners at HIGHMOOR in their first 35 over match of the season.

Batting first, Hambleden made a slow start, against tight bowling (Abbott 1-14 off six overs and D Stephens 0-17 off seven overs) and when Dickie was caught at extra cover off Abbott in the seventh over, with the score on 13, the game seemed to be going Highmoor’s way.

Sanders and Murton managed to steady things with a partnership of 39, before Sanders was finally caught, following two previous drops, off J Stephens seven overs later, with the score on 52.

Ottaway joined Murton at the crease and the pair began to build a score, achieving a partnership of 65. Murton was eventually bowled by Alfie Harris (1-24 off five overs), who had been denied a possible lbw on the preceding ball, with three overs and four balls remaining.

Hambleden captain Arnold joined Ottaway, rolling back the years to hit a quick 11 before Pearce (1-31 off seven overs) bowled him on the penultimate ball. Blakey survived the last ball, and Hambleden finished on 140-4 (Ottaway 38 not out).

Highmoor came to the wicket needing just four an over for victory and when Crawshaw set about opening bowler Blakey, hitting three fours in the first over, it looked eminently feasible.

By the eighth over Highmoor had already reached 50, but D Saint (2-17 off seven overs), who had only conceded eight runs up to this point, had Crawshaw caught behind on 31. Shamil joined Hadley at the crease but fell on a total of seven to Saint’s final delivery when he skyed the ball and keeper Richards took the catch, falling backwards beneath it. Hadley was then caught by Saint at extra cover off Ottaway, nine balls later on 32, raising Hambleden hopes of a possible, if rare, victory.

Highmoor were over halfway to the necessary 142 and still on target, but needed to calm things down. Abbott hit three consecutive fours off Ottaway’s final over but lost two partners to Dickie (A Stephens, bowled on one) and Sanders (D Stephens, caught Dickie at square leg on two), before succumbing himself on 28, caught behind off Dickie, who returned figures of 2-8 runs off seven overs. Highmoor were now 109-6 with 10 overs remaining, requiring just 31 runs. Sanders took the wicket of J Stephens at the cost of one more run, clean bowled, then in his next over had Choules caught behind on four , for his third wicket and Richards’ fourth catch.

Highmoor still needed 26 runs from the last six overs with only two wickets left. Ary Paul took the wicket of Harris, bowled on nine, and Pearce was run out on the first ball of the final over, giving Hambleden victory by eight runs in a closely contested match.