Match Report: Hartley Wintney (A)

Pyestock Bash and Crash Through Hartley

However Real Thunder Wins the Day!

 

Hartley Wintney CC Vs Pyestock CC

Sunday 29th July 2012

Weather Conditions: Thundery with Sunny Spells but very heavy showers.

Pitch Conditions: Wicket: dry, firm. Outfield: Green, soft, very wet.

 

The warm, sunny and dry welcome at picturesque Hartley Wintney promised a festival of top quality cricket this Sunday, however this was ruined by 2 thundery showers that submerged the scenic pitch.

With play not starting until 3pm due to the first downpour, Pyestock showed no ill-effects of the 2 hours watching the gallant attempts of the host’s ground staff and thrashed their way through the top half of the Hartley Wintney top order.

With only the third ball of the innings Neil Butler produced a peach of and in-swinger to bowl Boston and start the rout. Next over Chris Heath joined the party by claiming a faint edge from fellow opener Bowman through to wicket-keeper Vaughan Newcombe and reduce the hosts to 4 for 2.

Neil soon made it 3 in 3 overs by bowling Webb for a duck before repeating the trick with Barrett in his next over. Webb especially can have few complaints as the ball before his dismissal the ball ricocheted off the top of the bail on its way through to Vaughan, remarkably failing to dislodge the bail.

Failing to be outdone, Chris ended his brief duel with Brown removing the off-stump with a quicker delivery.

With the score on 15 for 5, and Pyestock in total control, Neil switched himself for spinner Dan Heath, who managed to obtain a fair amount of spin to keep Gaur and Jackson quiet.

The match played out despite heavy crashes of thunder all around the ground, and with the score starting to improve from the home side’s point of view a sudden further blow came when attacking minded Gaur mistimed a pull shot straight into the grateful hands of Neil Butler at mid on.

Billy Leader replaced Chris Heath at the pavilion end of the ground, however only 5 balls into his spell the heavens unsurprisingly started to open.

Play was suspended at 4pm and an early tea was agreed, however the rain failed to let up and it soon became clear that no further play would be possible. Deep puddles started forming at various points around the ground and play was called off at 4:25pm.

Disappointment for Pyestock who were clearly in the ascendency, however with absolutely no chance of the match finishing, strengthened friendship with our new opponents, whom we hope to meet again in slightly drier circumstances.

 

Hartley Wintney CC 31 for 6

Pyestock CC Did Not Bat

Match Abandoned(Rain)