World Cup Day Win for H&CHCC

MATCH SPONSOR - THE HARTEST CROWN PUBLIC HOUSE



H&CHCC 248 FOR 6

Hodge 91, Bryant 70, Ralling 20, M Atkinson 11 Not Out.

Tendering Park

196 All Out

Willingham 116 Not Out

Hodge 4 -48, D Armstrong 3 -41.


On a rather hotter afternoon than first thought on World Cup day Tendering Park won the toss and surprisingly put Hartest and Coldham Hall Cricket Club into bat first.

Hodge opened with Hannan and both played well to reach 29 when Hannan was bowled round his legs which brought in form Mark Roberts but today he clipped one to backward point and was caught out giving Tendering Park of hope with two early wickets.

This brought Club Chairman making a welcome return to the sun drenched Richards Oval and set about the task of re-building the innings he went onto get 20 runs before he was caught also but the score was then 83 for 3 off 17 overs.

Hodge and Captain Bryant then produced the match winning partnership the superb in form David Hodge who has been the back bone of many innings this season with a more subdued Bryant played shots a plenty Hodge moving onto his fifty in very quick time.

One hundred and ten run partnership took the score onto 193 when the great innings of Hodge came to an end being stumped for a quality 91 including 16 fours plus one all ran four which nearly meant we needed a new Chairman a terrific innings in sublime heat and concentration.

This brought Mark Atkinson to join Captain Bryant and Bryant was taking over the mantel left by Hodge again passing a good fifty but was still pushing the score on as the overs were running out on again a superb lucky wicket that was prepared by groundsman Peter Richards on a dry sun burnt pitch and bumpy outfield.

The pair put on 39 runs before Bryant was dismissed for a creditable 70 runs and the score onto 232 for 5 in the 36th over.

John Moriarty back from Holidays and other commitments again got into the swing of things as time was running out so taking risky early shots was soon out and Gus Walton came out with M Atkinson to carry on the plundering of runs and end the innings on 248 for 6 at tea.

Tea was provided by Nick Rutter with his daughter Dulcie and Dave Armstrong which was plentiful keeping in the great traditions of the superb teas which was on display and was tasted by the cricketers and the many watching spectators who had a great afternoons entertainment with more to come.

Tendering Park did not look in all honesty a team brimming with confidence and this was soon borne out when Dave Armstrong took two early wickets but opener M Willingham was still there and scoring quite well with some firm strikes when the ball gets past you on a dry dusty outfield it often ends up at the boundary before a chase can bring it in.

Nick Rutter was in fine form in the field with a few diving stops one notable one when a bad bump took the ball away from him but a diving leap got his hand on the ball to save another certain boundary.

Walton who had been bowling very well and some good shouts for leg before finally got his just desserts [like some many had in the pavilion earlier] when he clean bowled and bamboozled Eucheman for 5 leaving Tendering on 25 for 3.

If H&CHCC thought they were going to run through the Tendering Park team some strong resistance came from the middle order backing up Willingham who went past his fifty out of a total of 67 at the time.

Moriarty bowled a super delivery to dismiss Douglas who was putting up a rear guard action and Sparrow soon followed from the introduced bowler Hodge and with Tendering way behind the rate Willingham manipulated allot of the strike to try and keep up with the ever increasing asking rate.

Wilcox and Willingham 62 partnership took Tendering Park to 154 and even Walton coming back did not break the partnership although with two drop catches Walton will have a sleepless night reliving a simple caught and bowled with just a moment lack of concentration to drop Willingham.

Hodge bowled Wilcox and Willingham strived to keep strike the game was realistically beyond them but some tiredness and complacency sneaked into the H&CHCC play even though clearly on top Willingham past his century but wickets were falling the other end to Willingham.

Jordan Marlow stepping in late took a great catch deep mid on and that was the final curtain call for the Tendering Park innings with a simple run out ending their innings on 196 but a defiant Willingham 116 not out carrying his bat through the innings.

H&CHCC deserved the victory although maybe on another day could have easily thrown it away but thankfully they did not and it was another superb days entertainment with 20 points as the prize nearly if not better than winning the World Cup.

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