Hartest and Coldham Hall CC  51 All Out

D Hodge 18

J Flower 5-12

Thurston 52 for 1

J Smithers 31 Not Out



   Thurston completed the double over Hartest and Coldham in two weeks with a comprehensive victory similar to a defeat a few years ago but this time not quite as bad.

   On a pitch which was not rolled and very green was unpredictable and Captain William Bryant choose to bat and with Hodge plus Roberts back in the team all looked set to reverse last week's defeat at the hands of today's hosts.

   From ball one the variable bounce, swing, and keeping low soon became apparent was going to be very difficult and Roberts tried his usual swash buckling style and soon was caught for no score.

   Hodge battled away defending the new ball but after batting out a maiden the next ball Niall Hannon was caught behind also for no score.

   Ben Atkinson soon got off the mark but after surviving a ball that pitch outside off stump cut back over middle stump then after missing the next ball was stumped by a quick wicket keeper rolling the ball back catching him out of his crease and if the team didn't know they did by then that this was going to be a huge struggle to get a score on the board at 14 for 3.

   Captain Bryant was not perhaps having his best day and this got a lot worse when a mix up after a good pick up from the Thurston fielder led to David Hodge being ran out for top score 18 and shortly after that swung a big shot clipped his mongoose bat was then quick to apologise to Hodge before his pads were off in the dressing room.

   Survival was the name of the game with Alan Brazil look a like Flower [possibly related to Andy?] was getting unplayable on a very helpful wicket and Steve Ryder tried to hang on but finally bowled also no score, the team were on 26 for 5.

   Atkinson and Armstrong [sounds like a double act] were hanging on but not really scoring many runs but did move the score up a bit but no where enough to notice but Armstrong did hit a couple of nice boundaries before he was caught for 8 joint second top scorer which gives the true picture of the tragic picture of the Hartest and Coldham innings.

   Atkinson became Flowers wicket number five with little batting to come tried to get a few big shots in like last week and same result falling for 8 and the total 42 for 9.

   Nick Rutter and young Jay Davenport put on a spirited finish with Rutter getting a boundary and both players being dropped in a short spell however Thurston knew it was not going to make a big difference and they were right as Davenport was last man out bowled leaving Thurston to get 52 to win.

   Normally I would write after tea however tea was not ready or should have been with only 21 overs bowled the openers came out very wary of what they were likely to face but knowing such a small target it would have been an incredible thing to happen if they were not to get the target.

   Thurston were worried when skipper Bendall was caught LBW for no score when a low ball caught him in front but Smithers and S Ellis chanced their arm swung the bat at anything short found the gaps and not any fielders progressed the score to the desired total for only the loss of Bendall.

   Tea was taken after the game and best to be forgotten as far as the season goes then Hartest and Coldham Hall will play in Division Three next season as only one game left against Tuddenham next week who may need a victory to stay up so could be an exciting game.

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