Southwick Wanderers Cricket Club

Sunday 27th July 2008

Hammerwood won the toss and chose to bat first on a baking hot day at Hammerwood. Luke and Jamie immediately making life difficult for the hosts. Luke in particular bowled with great accuracy, consistently beating the outside edge, but it wasn't to be his day, the only chance offered went begging between first and second slip for 4. It was Jamie who struck first, with Harris plum infront of middle stump. The Wanderers were now able to contain, but were struggling to get wickets until the introduction of James Ayton coming on to replace the luckless Luke. His fifth ball getting hooked for 6 was then followed up bowling the no 3 next ball. James continued to impress accounting for the opener, caught behind by a smart catch from keeper Paul Breslin, who had previously taken one on the temple for the team!

Paul Lincoln then replaced Jamie and bowled a maiden first up (dubbed the worst maiden ever by Luke Smith!) but then recovered to remove the no4, caught on the move by Jamie. James then took the third of his three wickets by bowling the no 5. Towards the end, Dave Field was introduced when the hosts were trying to crack some late boundaries, but he still managed to bowl the no 6 and 8, the latter being of the fairer sex, naughty Mr Field!!!

A score of 126 was thought to be on the low side, but the variable bounce and general unpredictability of the wicket would ensure that the Wanderers would need to work hard if they were going to win.

Anthony and Simeon kicked the innings off and an early boundary from Anthony promised much, but he was then bowled by a good one from Ali. Simeon was then joined at the wicket by Mark Scholfield who struggled to cope with the bounce, edging one past the slips for 4 first ball. However Simeon and Mark worked hard and Simeon's careful prodding proved to be a useful foil to Mark's more attacking nature as Mark collected three fours in one over, and the pair went on to add 52 for the second wicket before Simeon was bowled for 12 by Berry.

Jamie Hyde then joined Mark in the middle and he was very lucky to survive first up as the ball rolled between leg and middle stump, it actually went through to the other side of the stumps without knocking the bails off, however Jamie regained his concentration and hit 'Rosie" for two massive sixes and a 4 before discretion and valour and all that meant Jamie reined in the big shots for a short while, late cutting a single to get Mark back on strike, which allowed Mark to pull a 4 to the square leg boundary to complete his first 50 this season.

Mark then fell victim to the irregular bounce, cutting the ball to gully for 56. Jamie then tried one big shot too many and got very well caught on the long on boundary for a quickfire 39. That left Tony and Paul Breslin to finish things off, which Tony did very nicely by smashing the ball to the long on boundary to win the match for the Wanderers by 6 wickets.

HAMMERWOOD INNINGS

SWCC BOWLING

SWCC INNINGS

HAMMERWOOD BOWLING