Hartest and Coldham win in a 25 over Big Bash

Hartest and Coldham Hall CC  235 for 4


B Atkinson 90, D Hodge Not Out 80, Rupert Melville-Ross 48.


Cavendish CC  163 for 8


Pearson 3-48, Hodge 2-23, Long 2-28.




Unexpected rain hit the Richards Oval, from light showers to quite a down pour nearly had the game called off as it persisted down and after an hour of drizzle had finally stopped, both Captain's decided to reduce the game to 25 overs a piece with a maximum 7 overs per bowler.


Hartest and Coldham Hall skipper lost the toss and the home team were asked to bat first on a very now damp wicket with a forecast of it drying out later making runs and batting easier later in the day.


With this in mind both Roberts and Hodge tried to get off to a flyer, perhaps Hartest always a secret team that likes a bash had got one today.


Roberts rode his luck and was caught early on and this brought the skipper in with Hodge, well, they and especially Captain Ben Atkinson slaughtered the Cavendish attack, and that probably was an understatement, the ball travelled to all parts very frequently, a few sixes and fours a plenty from both Atkinson and Hodge, the more aerial route taken by the skipper six times.


Somewhere around the 140 runs on the board at 14 overs saw the skipper bowled, and Charlie Long departed quite quickly, he will come good again and soon.


Hodge was joined by Rupert Melville-Ross who has been in great form with the bat and that continued after a few balls getting eye in and although a couple of drop catches could have helped Cavendish the feeling was that it was not their day.


With the twenty five overs nearly up Melville-Ross holed out and for the loss of four wickets the team had scored probably more than had it been a forty over game due to the big bash feel the game had taken on, the final score being a tremendous 235 for 4 with Hodge lasting the whole innings 80 runs not out looking very secure.


Tea from Charlie Long's Granny, superb, a lot of hard work and it was lovely, it was his first tea and it was not as bad as he thought, thank you to the ladies who helped clear up after tea, Anna Hodge and Rosie Roberts.


Cavendish then set about the task to chase down the big total and similar to last week at Haverhill the feel was the game was up for Cavendish and although their main stay player B Reece who plays a very decent level for Sudbury tried to take the opening two bowlers apart he struggled, a combination of good bowling and the fielding plus good captaincy with some good field positions kept a tight lid on proceedings.


Although Melville-Ross was not lucky in getting any wickets he kept the end tight and Richard "Dickie" Pearson swung the new ball which in turn had the joy of collecting three wickets, a catch from Rupert, a LBW decision and bowled Riddleston.


The dangerous Reece was still in and went by his fifty but wickets and his teammates not keeping up with the run rate required although a few heavy overs on a wicket which was again a run machine wicket but clearly a lot in it for the bowlers to exploit could change that scenario.


The Captain of Cavendish tried hard with Reece to push but his timing was not coming to fruition, and a super catch by Mark Roberts off the bowling of the man of the match Hodge dismissed the dangerous Reece for 68.


The game was virtually over at that point, it was clearly over when the Cavendish skipper was bowled by Charlie Long who found his mojo back bowling very well in his short spell, game over, the last few overs saw the skipper try some spin where Josh Borley excelled himself with a super catch he almost didn't realise at first he'd taken, then also a stumping.


Overs were running out the tail enders who were young lads hit a couple of shots and the overs ran out, the total was 163 for 8 wickets but the spirit of the game was good throughout and Cavendish certainly played there part in making a game plus some good fun and banter along the way.


Next week another home game versus the opening fixture against Stowmarket marking a half way stage through the season already, flying by fast, a jet lagged Dave Armstrong came up to support the team and he said Jack Armstrong was good and happy in Canada, best wishes to you Jack.


Steve Ryder with Zoe are on tea duty next week and the weather is meant to be a scorcher next week so I suggest you probably bring a rain coat as it is likely to rain now I have mentioned it.


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