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Last updated 05-Jul-2009.
Match Report
The youngsters and the oldsters combined in a fine victory over mid-table Hamble at Turnpike Way. Another Saturday, another league debut, this time for Rob Clinch, who was to shine as brightly as the afternoon sun.
Not for the first time this season our opening pair were our "dustbowl bullies" (copyright Mark Callow). Winning the toss and batting, Captain Mark and Stuart Raddon battered 36 from the first five overs but were then tied down by some wily bowling, just 5 runs coming off the second five. Mark, though not at his best, dropped three times, was doing the majority of the scoring, but Stuart clattered the only six of the innings and the pair brought the 100 up in the 26th over. Both were tiring in the heat and Mark was adjudged lbw for 67, the opening partnership 121. Steve Osgood (22) powered three boundaries before hearing the timbers as one kept Turnpike-characteristically low. At 148-2 with less than 9 overs left, we were concerned that the innings might falter, but in strode Rob Clinch, hitting his third ball for 2 and then eight runs in the bowler's next over. Rob was really looking the part and must have felt five feet tall in playing a breezy 23 off 19 balls, crucial acceleration for us just when needed. 34 off the last 3.2 overs from Richard Azar (14 not out) and Stuart, finishing on a season's best 76 not out, took us to a match winning 220-3 off 42 overs.
There was never any serious threat to us thereafter, though Hamble set off as if Mrs Spicer's iced cake contained uppers, 11 runs off Martin Lander's first over and 25 from the first four. But whatever ingredients there were, Viagra was not one of them as the batsmen just couldn't keep it up. A couple of hard chances had already gone down when Martin took the first wicket as Rob Clinch (you can't keep him out of the game) caught smartly at mid-on off a full blooded hit. Will Jacobs' first spell, with only two scoring strokes from 5 overs, put the visitors well behind the asking rate before Mark Callow pulled out a double-wicket maiden in his first over to leave Hamble on 50-3. Tight bowling from Richard Azar and Mark saw the score progress by barely two runs an over for 10 overs or so and the number 3 (who scored 13 in 24 overs) was particularly pacified. And throughout the innings, just as one batter appeared to be posing some sort of threat, we got him out. The top scorer (27) was fitted up by Billy Taylor, becoming Taylor's dummy as his stumps were shattered and then Will Jacobs prevented everyone from falling asleep by bowling the almost somnambulating number 3. Richard Azar trapped one in front and Steve Osgood tempted a slashing slog for an easy catch for Matt Spicer. Fireworks from the lower order were doused by a straight ball from the returning Mark Callow and the final overs took on an air of inevitability. Mark nearly picked up a fourth wicket via a drive landing just in front of him but the ball deflected eerily, lazily and parabolically off his foot to clip the stumps with the non-striker out of his ground. Callow would not be denied, and The Hollow honours board will again see the hairless hero heralded, 4-27, with Martin Lander doing the catching duties to wrap up a 61 run win and the full booty of bonus points.
What was good to see today was the lack of reliance on one or two players to win us the game. All five batters did a fine job and every bowler took a wicket. The ground fielding was of a better standard than in some previous matches with very few cheap runs to encourage the opposition.
