Hawk Green reach target with ease
IN a game reduced to 25 overs per side Hawk Green 1st Xl won the toss and invited the visitors to take first knock.
Early showers which had caused the shortened game had cleared and left a pleasant day. Dan Gilbride and Sean Marchington opened the innings for Buxworth and against some early wayward bowling both took advantage.
But Jason Downey and Ryan Stringer soon got into their rhythm and it was Downey who struck first when he bowled Gilbride for 16 with the score on 26,
The introduction of Jack Needham into the attack paid early dividends when he removed Gemmell for just 7
Critchlow and Marchington added 29 runs before the former became Needham’s second victim LBW for 6, 67-3. Skipper Josh Unsworth introduced himself and Pete Richards into the attack with immediate effect when Unsworth ended the stubborn resistance of Marchington bowling him for 26.
Richards took a spectacular catch at first slip off the bowling of Unsworth to remove Andy Reynolds for 7, 94 – 7, Richards then bowled Dan Marchington at 96 – 8.
The Buxworth innings closed on 108 – 8, with Needham 2 – 20, Richards 2 – 17 and Unsworth 3 – 11. The Greens’ new opening combination, Josh Unsworth and Josh Hampson, soon settled any nerves that may have been lingering when they quickly took control of the run chase with some wonderful straight and cover drives from Unsworth and Hampson with strong square drives.
The Buxworth first four batsmen are also their first four bowlers and all suffered before Critchlow removed Unsworth bowled for 46 at 75 – 1.
The same bowler removed Richards caught by keeper Chris Edwards for 0, 75 – 2.
The Green were to lose no further wickets and they reached their target of 109 with overs to spare and only 2 wickets down.
Hampson was 50 not out and Jack Needham 12 not out.
The Greens 2nd Xl away at Hazel Grove battered their opponents in a totally one sided game. Mark Richards and George Ridings opened the bowling and Richards had first blood when he removed Chris Cooke for 3, 8 -1.
Bradley Holmes replaced Ridings with immediate success as he removed the dangerous Andy Oldfield bowled for just 9, 22 – 2. The remaining Grove batsmen could not cope with the bowling of Richards and Holmes and were soon reduced to 79 all out, Richards completing his 12 overs 3 – 18 and Holmes 11.2 overs 6 – 25.
The Greens opening pair, Justin Blackhurst and Andrew Bickley, both of whom could command a place in most 1st X1s were in no mood to hang about and in just 10 overs they had passed the required total with Bickley closing on 46 not out in just 31 balls and Blackhurst 29 not out in 29 balls faced.
On Sunday the Green travelled to Hale Barns to play in the Cheshire Shield Cup and with only teenagers Ryan Stringer and Jack Needham available from Saturday’s 1stXl .
They had to field 9 x 2nd teamers.
Hale Barns elected to bat first and were bowled out for 154 with Ryan Stringer 4 – 34, Jack Needham 2 – 18 and Mark Richards 2 – 36. In reply the Greens innings started disastrously with Saturdays 2nd X1 hero Justin Blackhurst falling for a duck but then a very mature partnership of 63 between Jack Needham and Ben Littler steadied the boat and put the Green back on course knocks of 23 from Needham, 53 from Ben Littler, 21 from Tom Littler, a swashbuckling 33 from Logan Jeffs, 9 not out from Ryan Stringer.
Fittingly the winning run came from skipper Murray Hills bat. Another cracking weekend for the Green.