H&CHCC Lose Local Derby against Brockley

Brockley 195 all out

J Brame 56

P Richards 4 for 52

H&CHCC 174 all out 35 overs

B Atkinson 41, D Hodge 29, P Richards 27


H&CHCC Won the toss and unexpectedly decided to field due to the opposition looking a bit weak and at that time having only 10 men which changed to a full team when a spectator for them turned up and was asked to play.

Meekings & P Kearney got Brockley off to a good start after being put in when Kearney was caught by Peter Richards for 20 and the score on 33.

The decision to put Brockley in was proving a good one when wickets tumbled from Jack Armstrong and Peter Richards reducing the visitors to 69 for 5 in the 17th over a home win looked and should have been on the cards but it all went pear shape in the form of young J Brame who with D Bugg put on 56 runs to appear to get them a fighting chance when Bugg was out and the score on 125.

The tail wagged with Brame continuing to impress for a young player although a mention for T Fenner last week scoring a double century only to find cricket brings you back to earth with a huge bump getting a duck and did not even face a ball.

A significant partnership and in fact a match winning partnership in the form of the spectator and the very young 12 year old J Kearney put on 40 for a last wicket stand which in the end proved to be decisive as the total reached was 195 way to many and so it proved.

After tea Roberts and Hodge opened with a very good ball bowling the in form Roberts for three and not the start required however B Atkinson came in at number three. With Hodge they got the innings back on track and some fine shots were being played and when Hodge top edged a ball back to the bowler the score had reached 73 and a 55 partnership the biggest for H&CHCC on the day.

With Hodge out for 29 B Atkinson soon followed caught behind for a top score of 41 and with Captain Bryant out cheaply it was Hannan and Fiddes carried on the fight with some cautious play to begin with but keeping up with the run rate required Hannan got 24 from 28 balls trying to lose the myth he scores slowly again.

Peter Richards good day continued with the bat and a very good six with another possible match winning partnership with Fiddes got the score up to a close finish but the wickets were being lost and both Fiddes and Richards were bowled the latter for 27 in a partnership of 48.

Sadly the tail were going to struggle to get those last runs that Brockley had got earlier in the last stand of their innings and a gallant effort the game which was so much in sight of victory was taken away ending the run chase by 20 runs and more crucial H&CHCC finished on 174 just 1 run away from a possible batting point which could cost the team dearly in the final few weeks of the season where wins are a must to stay in Division Two.

Markie the Webmaster