Green edge out gritty Woodley
HAWK Green entertained Woodley with a 9.30am start to accommodate England’s World Cup quatyer final against Sweden later in the day.
Fortunately, the weather was once again perfect – the Greens skipper Josh Unsworth won the toss and elected to bat, opening the innings with Josh Hampson and Paul Needham against the Woodley opening attack of Danny Kay and Tyler Eiselt.
From the start neither batsmen appeared in any trouble apart from Hampson being bowled by Eiselt – he was reprieved when the umpire called no-ball.
Both batsmen were striking the ball well and, in particular, on the leg side where a number of boundaries and one maximum from Needham were hit.
First to fall was Hampson, the first of three stumpings by wicket keeper Jake Hounslow, for 47, 102-1.
New batsman Logan Jeffs, promoted because of his exploits with the bat in the last few games, was next to the crease. Unfortunately he was unable to continue his rich vein of form and was well caught in the deep by James Duggan for 7, 126-2.
Skipper Unsworth joined Needham, who was caught by Andy Rippon for an excellent 61, 126-3.
One of the Greens other in-form batsmen, Ben Littler, strode to the crease and was almost immediately on his way back as he was given out LBW off the bowling of Paul Turner for 1, 134-4.
Jordan Henderson replaced him and in his usual manner entertained briefly before being bowled by Eiselt for 18, 163-5.
Throughout, Unsworth was showing his class and in partnership with Jack Needham, dominated the bowling, adding 60 runs before Needham was caught and bowled off the bowling of Duggan for 29, 223-6.
Chris Head, next to the crease, was out first ball, 223-7.
Craig Young joined Unsworth and the pair moved the score to 243 when Unsworth had a sudden rush of blood and danced down the track only to be stumped off the bowling of Duggan, who mopped up the tail finishing with fine figures of 5-25. It left Young stranded on 11 not out and the Greens final total 252.
Woodley’s response was led by Paul Turner and Danny Oldland against the Greens spin attack of Jordan Henderson and Mark Richards and it was the former who struck first, bowling Turner with the third ball of his first over, 0-1.
With the score on 34 Oldland was out LBW for 20 to Mark Richards.
With Danny Kay and Harrison Webb at the crease Woodley were pushing for victory with an array of delightful shots with Kay not afraid to come down the track and strike the bowlers back over their heads.
Unfortunately, with the score on 117, Webb called for a suicidal run and was sent back by his partner and run out for 44.
New batsman Jamie Kay joined his brother but was unable to help the Woodley chase as he was well caught by Hampson off Jordan Hampson, 124-4.
When Danny Kay eventually fell for an excellent 66, 135-5, it appeared that Woodley’s run chase was over.
But Jack Duggan had other ideas and was desperately trying to marshal and protect the lower order batsmen whilst maintaining the required run rate.
Jake Hounslow fell for 10, caught Littler bowled George Ridings, 160-6.
Next was Gary Pickin for 9, 170-7, caught Littler off Jordan Henderson.
Richards then accounted for Eiselt for 8, caught Unsworth, 198-8 and Rippon caught Littler without troubling the scorers, 205-9.
It left a mountain to climb for Duggan, but he stuck to the task in partnership with 14-year-old James Reid and the pair took the score to 229 before Duggan eventually fell, caught Richards off Jack Needham for a gritty 57.
The Greens bowlers had suck to the task with Richards 3-41, Henderson 3-53 and Ridings 2-56.
The Greens 2nd Xl racked up 241-4 against Woodley with Justin Blackhurst recording a ton but unfortunately finishing on the losing side as Woodley finished victors, passing the Greens total for the loss of only three wickets.
Last Thursday the Green faced neighbours Hazel Grove in the third round of the Offside Trust T20, both being joint top.
The Green won the toss and elected to bat, getting off to a bright start but after losing four quick wickets the Grove could be excused for thinking they were in the game and like many teams underestimated the depth of the Greens batting, closing on 187-6 with Josh Hampson 67 not out, Jack Needham 39 and Chris Head 27 not out.
The Grove reply never really got under way with wickets falling at regular intervals and the chase closed on 106 with George Ridings finishing with 4-12 aided with some excellent fielding.
Next week the Green are away to Hayfield on the Saturday wickets pitched 1pm and on the Sunday are at home to Dove Holes in the semifinal of the Bissenden Cup wickets pitched 1pm (this may change if England reach the final of the World Cup).