Green batsmen fall short in double disappointment

HAWK Green entertained local rivals North East Cheshire and on winning the toss their skipper elected to bat with Reynolds and Clark facing the opening attack of Jason Downey and Dylan Heginbotham.

Both bowled a good tight line and Downey was first to strike removing Clark for 8, 22-1.

Jack Needham and George Ridings were both introduced into the attack with immediate success and the visitors were reduced to 61-4. Normally the Green are renowned for their fielding but a couple of lapses allowed Richie and Woller to give the impetus back to the visitors with a stand of 85 in quick time, the innings finally closed on 184 all out with Jason Downey the pick of the bowlers with 3-29 and Brad Holme also with 3-25.

The Green’s openers, Josh Hampson and Sam

Messih started confidently until the latter was out for 15, 26-1. Ben Littler was next to the crease and both he and Hampson took control and batted confidently and took the score to 91 when Littler was out for 36.

At this point Woller was reintroduced into the attack and after his first four innocuous deliveries for 21 he cleaned up the remaining batsmen in a spell of 6-17 and the Green closed on 140-9 with eight of the batsman being out caught by an excellent fielding team.

On Sunday, the Green travelled to Cheshire County and on winning the toss the home captain elected to take first knock.

Openers Hunter and Cooper were not troubled by the Green’s attack and put on 48 for the first wicket.

The Green’s two slow bowlers, Mark Richards and George Ridings, were introduced into the attack and the former had immediate success as he dismissed Hunter caught and bowled for 37.

Next, Ridings had Smith caught behind followed by Cooper caught by Mark Richards then Hicks fell to the same combination for 12, 91-4.

Unfortunately when the spinners had completed their overs the remaining bowlers failed to halt the flow of runs and the innings closed on 206-7 with

George Ridings the most successful of the bowlers with 3-26.

The Green’s response was led by Josh Hampson and Sam Messih and it was the latter who was first to fall for 5, 17-1, which quickly became 26-2.

Hampson and Heginbotham added 52 aided by by some wayward bowling – the home team actually conceded 22 wides.

Tom Littler, in partnership with Brad Holme, added 61 runs to bring the Green right back into the game and when the latter was eventually dismissed for an excellent 65 in the penultimate over he had added 23 runs with Lee Hallas who batted despite having a bad back.

Unfortunately the same over saw Ridings, lbw, and Richards, run out, to leave the Green falling short by three runs.

Next Saturday the Green are again at home wickets pitched 1pm.