Long Melford CC      293 For 5

M Hoadley 115

Hartest and Coldham Hall CC    170 All Out

Roberts 66, C Long 24, N Hannan 20.

First time in three seasons this game at Long Melford was actually played and finished.

Captain Matt Hoadley ex Hartest and Coldham Hall player, generally more than a decent guy won the toss and batted on a lovely wicket at Melford.

The controversy of the game came second ball, I was not playing but after hearing more than a few different views it appeared an edge into the keepers glove went unnoticed via sound or vision, only the player involved will know if he sleeps well tonight, maybe he will, but the winning margin was 123 runs, the player who will remain nameless went on to score 129.

I believe Melford would have put a substantial  score on the board with that batting track and  Matt Hoadley played superbly as only he can, a real Mr Cricket for Melford, I hope they appreciate his good work behind the scenes with his good lady helping out.

Matt went onto score a good ton, and the first wicket did not fall until 250 was virtually posted on the board in 32 overs, then Melford hit out!

Hartest and Coldham Hall managed to get five wickets in the final few overs, Dickie Pearson got three wickets, plus the ever improving Jordan Marlow getting two, one with the last ball of the innings which closed on 293 for 5.

A special mention for David Hodge who opened the bowling and his ten overs only went for 25, although not taking any wickets, proved how well he bowled as 268 came off the other 30 overs.

After Tea, a massive run chase plus after chasing the ball is close on impossible, hence the Melford Skipper put on a couple of less used bowlers and Hartest were still chuntering about the earlier incident and went out very aggressively to hit the ball, hard, they did so with Roberts bludgeoning a massive 66 [5 sixes] before he fell to a simply brilliant catch by that man Hoadley who else.

Hodge who bowled well went cheap by his standards and the skipper, hit a couple big sixes which got a lot of people moving their cars to a safer place, but he also fell to a more than decent catch for 18.

After ten overs the score was 94 for three but the big hitters had departed and Dickie Pearson with Charlie Long played steady but firmly and moved the score on to a better total.

Both Pearson and Richards were out within balls of each other, then when Charlie Long went for 24 it was the returning Niall Hannan who scored 20 with a tail that didn't wag, it fell off.

The end total was 170 in a game that was still overall played in a decent well respected manor and well done Long Melford who had the edge plus Matt Hoadley in supreme form, I know 21 players will sleep well, not sure the 22nd will?

By next week, hopefully the calmness will have returned and the boys head off to Stowupland who I believe are running away with the league so a tough game in prospect, so the boys may need some support, so get a long and give them a look, with luck summer will have arrived!!! [ We can only hope].

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