Hartest and Coldham CC Defeated at Acton

H&CHCC 180 for 8

Bryant 41, Roberts 29,

Acton 181 for 4


On a hottest day of the summer so far Captain Bryant won the toss and decided to bat with Hodge and Hannan opening the innings.

Avery good steady start was achieved by Hodge and Hannan reaching 36 before Hodge played on from an old friend French who has decided to play for Acton.

Hodge went back to the pavilion for 16 and Roberts next man in wished he had stayed there as Roberts was in fine form scoring quickly as ever and with Hannan moving the score onto 78 in only the 16th over when the usual LBW controversy with an alleged inside edge and Roberts was out for 29.

The poor run of luck and form for B Atkinson continued even working hard did not stop his thin edge to the keeper for nought and leaving the score on 80 for 3.

Captain Bryant came to the crease and with his hard hitting and wayward bowling caused by Bryant to force the bowler into all sorts of short balls and long hops with Captain Bryant smacking two enormous sixes in his quick fire innings but when you play the percentage game your luck will run out and it did with a very quick 41 to his credit and move the Hartest & Coldham score to 127 for 4.

Ian Copping first game of the season and lack of practise showed early in his innings when putting bat to ball was difficult however he did find his sights hitting three good boundaries before a miss timed shot saw him caught out for 13 unlucky for him and Hartest & Coldham.

Hannan who had been the lynch pin of the team using up there overs finally succumbed being bowled by a ball that kept a little low for 23 in the 30 over vigil he took to secure the team did not collapse which it nearly did.

Walton good form left him as did J Armstrong both falling to Smith for 1 and 5 respectively.

D Armstrong and Jordan Marlow ended the innings with a very good unbeaten partnership of 27 and batting to the end of the innings with D Armstrong not out 17 and Jordy not out 6 leaving the Hartest & Coldham Hall total on 180 for 8.

Looking at past games the par score was a bit more than Hartest & Coldham got but with an energised bowling performance who knows but on a very decent wicket it proved to be a day of what if and maybe as Acton went very business like through out there innings with Wright being bowled off a no ball and going on to make 6 in the opening partnership of 31 to which 17 were extras from no balls and wides.

The next wicket to fall was at 64 the wicket of Miller from an absolutely excellent catch from Marlow running back and taking it close to the boundary over his head to give the second Armstrong wicket to D Armstrong to match the opening wicket of son J Armstrong.

Runs were coming quite easily from a very good track and the old ball was not doing much at all plus the fielding was not up to its normal standard on an outfield that was not always even but no worse than Hartest own ground. The heat and frustration with body language at the drinks break seemed to tell the story of what was going to happen and a stand of 61between Gardener & Cooper cemented this feeling.

The fast reaction and throw from deep by Captain Bryant did remove Gardener short of his ground making 47 and the total of 125 for 3 after 27 overs.

Big hitting Fisher came in a powerful man who smacked a quick 21 with Cooper also cutting lose in a 53 partnership when a well deserved first wicket of the season from N Rutter dismissed Fisher and more importantly gave Hartest &Coldham the extra bowling point which could prove so vital come the end of the season.

In the same over Fisher was out so was the game as Martin edged one over slip to reach the target required. Three drop catches and another probably 50 or 60 runs and a bowler to have a inspired spell and who knows what may have happened but as I said earlier if and maybe.

The season is still young and the league positions are very close but next week away to Hadleigh maybe an important fixture with Hadleigh sitting below Hartest & Coldham going into this weekends fixtures. These games can easily be the big games needed in a season that defines the season and division you play in next season.


Markie the Webmaster