Produced by Cricket Statz - www.cricketstatz.com
Last updated 18-Aug-2009.
Match Report
As evening dawned, we were looking at wins for the 1sts, 2nds and 3rds with the fixtureless 4ths' codgers and post-modern kids wrapped up perusing the Premier League's and Saints' results. However the 3rds contrived to lose a match that, though closely fought throughout, they looked to have in hand until the final dregs.
It was a shaky start, Ian Farley and Joe Humby lost within 6 overs with 18 on the board and Steve Osgood hit three fours before hearing the death rattle. We were 47-3 from 13 overs, the ball seaming and wobbling under a grey sky. Fraser Moon watched the wickets as the non-striker but he was looking in good touch and when joined by Andy Oliphant, embarked on the dominant partnership of the innings. Fraser and Andy reached fifties within minutes of each other, but after Fraser (58) spanked a shrubbery-bound six, he was bowled with precisely 12 overs left and the score 139-4. By now Greg Horton was re-calculating what would be a good total practically ball by ball and promoted Chris Oliphant to look after his tiring dad. After 26 runs in 20 balls Chris (10) was out and two more quick wickets fell. As Greg minded more mental mathematical manipulations, Ian Clark showed the strong batting line-up, coming in at number 9. He and Andy added 29 in exactly 3 overs but his run out for 15, and Steve Roberts' fall two balls later, left a possibility of us not batting our 42 overs. Andy hit his 13th four (he also hit two sixes) and on 96 with two deliveries remaining, a full toss was a good bet to bring him a deserved hundred but only one run came. Mike Edwards played one of the shots of the day to cover drive a four from the final ball to take the total to 224-9, Andy 97 not out.
Two youngsters opened for Hyde and Mike Edwards and Joe Humby both beat the bat in the opening overs as the raw Hyde batsmen made a steady start. Clever field placing and solid fielding restricted the visitors' run flow and Steve Roberts and Ian Clark bowled excellent spells as the scoring slowed. It needed Rob Carpenter to make ground to snap up a low catch off Ian Clark (6-0-18-1) to break the 66 opening stand in the 20th over. After Steve's 5 overs for 10 runs, Fraser Moon dismissed the other opener in his first over via a tumbling catch by Mike Edwards. We were now clear favourites with both new batsmen scrabbling about, neither looking convincing. Ironically for a New Forest side perhaps, the more senior adopted a more agricultural approach and hit the first of his five sixes but we did nab the other batter when Rob Carpenter swooped like a hungry lion on a limping zebra for a direct hit from the boundary - superb fielding. Perhaps thinking he was the visitors' only real chance of victory (his team mates certainly felt so), the previously nervy number 3 was periodically swinging successfully with a good eye and heavy bat. Dr Mike returned and finally got a wicket in his 10th over, trapping the captain in front for 5 with Hyde now needing 58 in under 7 overs. Dr Mike had his tail up, so much so that he was set for an 11th over until stopped almost in his run-up but runs were coming fast, several strokes stroked between fielders. One escape came as the ball was chipped just over Dr Mike's dentistic digits at mid-on and the Hyde win was sealed with 9 balls to spare, three successive fours bringing up the centurion's, er, century, exactly 100 not out.
A gut-wrenching loss to a Hyde side not safe from relegation, though they also beat Curdridge last week. We conceded 29 extras, though in fairness there were 24 in our innings. An injury to Ian Clark meant he couldn't bowl more than six overs - on another day, things might have been so different though we shouldn't begrudge Hyde their win.
Lastly it was a game played in excellent spirit, no controversy, no punches thrown......
