H&CHCC Big Win at The Oval

H&CHCC Versus Thurston CC

Match Sponsor J W Engineering - Tim Wilcox


H&CHCC 256 for 4
M Roberts 146 Not Out, B Atkinson 52, Hodge 46.
Thurston 58 All Out
D Armstrong 5 for 29, J Armstrong 4 for 27

Cloudy and breezy day saw a sparse crowd turn up as Captain William Bryant lose the toss and Thurston Captain Andy Bendall decided to insert H&CHCC into bat.
A slow steady start as per coach instruction always are but often ignored but with Andy Dye bowling tightly with Bendall off spin also accurate it would have been a silly man to assume how the events would unfold as the game progressed.
After twelve overs the score had got to 25 for no wicket and both openers Roberts and Hodge well planted for the next step up and Roberts being just that more aggressive hitting the loose ball the score started to grow.
The added run rate going up put the Thurston fielders under more pressure and both Roberts twice plus Hodge were dropped with some difficult catches going to ground but the runs began to mount.
Roberts scored fluently supported by Hodge went past his fifty and shortly after that the opening pair got to their century partnership after 22 overs a superb platform had been set for a big target.
Hodge was finally bowled by Flannigan just short of his half century [46] and the opening partnership had ended on 123.
Ben Atkinson came in and after five dot ball then scored 4,6,6,4 in as many balls so the impetus of the score not only continued but raised the rate with Roberts getting stronger and eventually much to his team mates joy saw Mark Roberts hit the magical century to deserved applause.
Roberts and Atkinson put on 101 run partnership when Atkins who hit some big sixes as Roberts plus a reverse paddle for four got his fifty with a boundary but next ball was bowled for 52 and the score on 224 for two.
Captain Bryant and Mark Atkinson trying to keep or get Roberts on strike both fell cheaply as Roberts still plundered runs and Thurston were very demoralised as the runs were coming thick and fast.
As the overs were running out Fiddes and Roberts saw it to the end of the innings but it was Mark Roberts day today batting the whole of the innings scoring a century and involved with two century stands finally end on 146 not out tired but a very happy Dad on father's day.
Thurston had a very daunting task of a run chase with 257 to win after a bit of a mauling with a Father & Son bowling combination at both ends as Dave & Jack Armstrong tied down the openers with some superb swing bowling from Dave Armstrong and severe pace bowling with seam from Jack Armstrong.
Ten overs had past and like H&CHCC a steady start but not comfortable so it was no surprise that Gus Walton took a decent catch off D Armstrong removing R Cook for 8 started the demise of Thurston.
Wickets started to tumble from that moment with Jack Armstrong bowling a peach of a ball to remove Francis for a second ball duck but then Dad Dave Armstrong took the next three wickets for very few runs conceded and leading his son 4 to 1 but Jack was not giving up then took two wickets and then some sharp fielding by Ben Atkinson to spot a run out reducing Thurston 54 for 8.
Jack took the next wicket 4 -4 with one run out left the last wicket to go and on Father's Day Dave Armstrong got the decision LBW to end the match with a super winning margin of 199 which makes up a bit of revenge for a defeat that H&CHCC suffered a couple of seasons ago however Thurston took the defeat very sportingly.
Next week a mini tour to Lincolnshire with a friendly game against a Jonno eleven where some fun away from the league pressures plus a rest for some older squad members before the next match at home against Stowmarket on the fourth of July.
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