H&CHCC Lose in low scoring thriller at Edwardstone

Edwardstone 103 All Out

Walton 6 for 30, D Armstrong 3 for 13

H&CHCC 95 All Out

G Hatton 9 overs 3 maidens 23 runs 7wickets

D Bryant 19, D Armstrong 18, B Atkinson 16.


Captain Bryant won the toss and elected to bat on a cloudy overcast cool day and Gus Walton returned his best ever bowling in a steady controlled way as wickets fell on a regular basis supported very well by Jack Armstrong pace at the other end.

Walton took the first six wickets and by the end of his overs he had got 6 for 30 and reduced Edwardstone to 77 for 6 with J Armstrong having two drop catches again one in his first over off the third ball where I Young went on to score the biggest innings of the day 24. When you analise these facts it is clear where the nearly won it games have been lost.

Dave Armstrong came onto replace Walton and with some good catching from M Atkinson, a stumping from B Atkinson and his own caught and bowled he got three wickets making 9 from the top end and David Hodge getting the solitary wicket from the field end in his ninth over LBW and to end the innings of Edwardstone leaving them to defend 103.

After tea with storm clouds looming the trend continued from the top end were Walton had taken six wickets only to be upstaged by G Hatton who bowled the first 5 H&CHCC wickets for very few runs in fact the first three went down with only 12 on the board.

With there tails up and Hatton unplayable it seemed that H&CHCC would disappear without trace seemingly after they had done the hard work getting them out for only 103 which now looked a mountain to climb.

B Atkinson was another bowled victim of Hatton after he and Captain Bryant had steadied the ship but rough waters were not far away as Walton skill with the ball deserted him with his bat in hand and gave Hatton his sixth wicket.

The rear guard action then took place with young Jack Armstrong best display in H&CHCC with the bat keeping out all that was thrown at his and supporting Captain Bill Bryant in another partnership of 22 before Armstrong got an inside edge onto his stumps similar to Hodge earlier and not H&CHCC who had 3 or 4 times that happened in there innings none went onto the stumps.

Dave Armstrong came out but Bryant was out a little earlier to a great slip catch and give great credit to the tail they battled hard and had inched up the score to within spitting distance to take the game from the jaws of doom.

But this being H&CHCC this was not to be with two champagne moments a superb four from Nick Rutter and a lovely six from Dave Armstrong the moment you knew it was not your day was when the opening bowler Hatton returned and claimed his 7th wicket to a very good catch of his own bowling low down one handed and it stuck so often they don't and with Jim Marlow last man in with his first game of the season those 9 runs looked unlikely.

The tenth and final wicket all from the top end finally fell to the other opening bowler Gooderham that of Dave Armstrong for his best ever score in Hartest colours of 18 leaving H&CHCC just 9 runs short of victory which was much needed.

With this defeat only amazing change in form and luck will save H&CHCC but it was noticeable how much effort and passion without giving up was within the team even when the rub of the ball has not been as kind as it could.

I believe a lot of teams will be sad to see us go for many reasons they enjoy are banter, teas are superb and we normally give them a very close game hardly at all have we been out played completely and so many games we have been a whisker away of winning.

Next week H&CHCC take on Mellis at home which is usually another cracking game in store with a certain Mr Farrant cutting his own field with the ball if we allow him.

Markie the Webmaster