Rivals’ unbeaten run ends at the hands of Green
ON Saturday Hawk Green entertained their closest – geographically – rivals, North East Cheshire, a team so far unbeaten and top of the table.
With three key players missing this was always going to be a tough game and so it it proved to be.
On winning the toss, the Greens skipper elected to field first with his opening attack of Jack Needham and Dylan Heginbotham – saviours of the Green the previous week.
North East Cheshire’s openers were skipper Saul Gould and Jake Reynolds. Both were very respectful of the very tight line the bowlers maintained but at the same time the odd loose ball was punished.
First to fall was Reynolds caught Frazer Heginbotham bowled brother Dylan for 21, 38-1.
New batsman Andrew Clarke was also very watchful and it was not until the introduction of Bradley Holme that the Green had further success when he bowled a half tracker to Gould which he could have struck anywhere – but instead gently lobbed it into the hands of Needham at cover point for a laborious 41, 99-2.
It was now obvious that the visitors had to push the scoring along and Clarke and new batsman Manning Berry tried to do so, but the introduction of Jordan Henderson put paid to Clarke’s intentions when he was bowled for 31, 100-3.
This brought Will Westerby to the crease and he immediately injected some urgency but after striking two maximums Berry fell to the accuracy of Henderson and was bowled for 17, 139-4.
Westerby continued at a run a ball rate but unfortunately ran out of partners at an alarming rate as Will Ritchie fell to Jack Needham caught Frazer Heginbotham for 3 then John Westerby was run out for 1. He was followed by David Bridge, Dave Oldfield and Jamie Henderson with only two runs between them, the innings eventually closing on 183-9 with Will Westerby on 54 not out, and excellent innings for his team.
All the Greens bowlers bowled an excellent line with Henderson the most successful with three wickets and praise again to Needham with 15 overs 2-36.
The Greens openers, Jack Needham and Josh Hampson faced the visitors opening attack of Manning Berry and Jamie Henderson and it was the former who struck first as he had Hampson lbw with his third delivery 0-1.
In-form Elliot Young joined Needham but unfortunately the latter fell for 11, lbw to Jamie Henderson, 25-2.
Ben Littler dug in to support Young in his one man mission to grab full points for the Green but unfortunately was cleaned up by Dave Oldfield for 9, 69-3.
He was followed almost immediately by Dylan Heginbotham for a duck, 78-4.
Jordan Henderson was next to the crease and he played an innings that for once was, for him, very restrained and with a mixture of sensible batting and hitting the bad ball when necessary.
He added 51 in partnership with Young before he fell for 25 caught Berry bowled Oldfield, 129-5.
At this point Young was batting with real authority, giving his team mates and spectators alike confidence that he would take his team over the line and with next man in Oliver Whisker he took the score to 161-6 when Whisker was needlessly run out for 10 and on the same score Tom Littler was out, caught behind chasing a wide ball.
At this point Young was on 89 and his ton seemed just a matter of when not if.
Next to the crease was Bradley Holme and for the next five overs Young was denied the strike and first with five wides, an edge for 4, a ball guided to third man for 4 and finally a towering 6 the Green completed a three-wicket victory with Young closing on 92 not out and Holme 16 not out.
It was a great victory and in this form surely it will only be a matter of time before Young reaches three figures.
Today’s match ball sponsor was Greylands Ltd of Reddish, thanks to Richard Dyson.
Next week the Green are away to Kingsley wickets pitched 12 and on Thursday 2nd June the Green are at home to Hyde in the Cheshire County League T20 cup, wickets pitched 6.15pm.