Hartest Hammered in the Drizzle

Hartest and Coldham Hall CC  80  All Out.


P Richards 31, C Long 18, M Atkinson 14.


A Malcolm 5-39


Thurston 83 for 0


J Smithers 59 not out.


Lightening doesn't strike twice they say? Well it was very close by in more ways than one today.


Few years ago a weakened side went to Thurston and were butchered all out for under twenty, moving forward too today's game and at 14 for 4, it was about to strike and the actual forecast was possible storms with showers.


Missing three guys who are averaging about 50 a piece was going to hurt, plus Vice Captain Richard Carter lost the toss and the experienced Thurston Captain knew that the batting maybe not be as strong as it could, plus the knowledge of the weather forecast got Hartest into bat quickly.


Richard Carter and Josh Borley went to the middle, the pitch was in good condition in fact quite dry and hard making the ball have plenty of bounce, especially from Malcolm bowling down the slope and banging them in short of a length causing a few problems for the Hartest and Coldham batsmen.


Captain Andy Bendall for Thurston was quick between overs I believe he smelt blood early on and even he could not quite envisage a big collapse but it began with Borley chipping up a catch to cover.


Vice Captain Carter was joined by Charlie Long who lived dangerously with a couple of thick edges and some lovely strikes, he saw a few wickets go down, a smart and sharp diving forward catch saw Carter dismissed.


Mark Roberts came in and tried to play himself in but he chipped one back to the bowler Flower and left the arena.


Similar to Roberts, Dickie Pearson looped a ball back to the bowler, wickets were going down fast, Thurston were obviously buoyed on with the scent of victory and in quick time.


Enter the fray back from injury in fact probably not back but playing with injury, he played like Peter Richards always played in recent years and took the attack to the opposition and hit a few fours, and a trade mark six, with Long going for 18, LBW, only Mark Atkinson got to double figures along with Peter Richards, Mark hitting a nice six, but a sweeter cut shot as he was told by his team mates when he trouped back in after missing a straight one.


Richards hit the ball hard and gave the team a bit of spirit of fun, however he was finally caught for a super 31, this brought together Nick and Jake Rutter who managed to stay in a bit longer for an odd single plus extras.


20 Overs and 1 ball when Jake Rutter holed out, bringing the innings to a close, 80 all out, not a great score but so much better than it looked likely to be at one point, but the score was never anywhere near it needed to be to make a game of it.


Tea was not taken due to the weather coming in as dark clouds were coming across the skies, vice Captain Richard Carter let Dickie Pearson take the first over and with the new ball beat the bat once or twice, then Nick Rutter opened the bowling did similar but runs were like the dark clouds looming over the pitch and Hartest fortunes for the game.


Drizzle was coming the opening bowlers were dare I say perhaps dishing up a bit of a buffet that was not had earlier, the game was lost long before the score got to the required 80, in fact the rain was hard, the bowling was hurry up get the runs so we can finish and get some tea, Thurston had won the game in the first innings and the quick outfield even in the rain helped Thurston get the runs required by the end of the seventh over.


Thurston were very happy with our sportsmanship to stay out and finish the game, I can think of more than a few teams who would have come in and tried to get the game rained off, it did rain quite heavily while the tea was being taken and could have been called off, but the likelihood was it would clear and Hartest would take to the field to go through the motions.


Thurston deserved to win, the Hartest and Coldham team did not have enough fire power in the batting today and although tried hard, it was a bad day at the office.


No game next week which will help recharge a few batteries and family time, the next game is at the Richards Oval against Lakenheath, last word on today's game was the Hartest man of the match was Peter Richards whose 31 was a good hi light and made the score a bit more respectable than it could have been.


Check the website for the four new duck club members and the obvious man of the match award.

One last footnote was just to say a massive Congratulations to Jim Marlow who got Married on Saturday, all the club players, club members, wish the happy couple every happiness in your future together.

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