Green set off season on right foot

HAWK Green’s first game of the season was away to Barnton and started on a winning note.

The toss went the way of the Barnton skipper and he asked the Green to take first knock.

Their openers, skipper Josh Hampson and Paul Needham, faced the opening attack of Neil Langham and James Hodgkinson.

Both batsman looked comfortable at the crease, playing a number of boundaries on both sides of the wicket whilst taking singles, rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard moving.

Needham was first to fall, stumped Callum Doyle off the bowling of Pat Flanagan for 45, 107-1.

Elliot Young was next to the crease and after a bright start fell lbw to Cory Devanny for 12, 126-2.

Jack Needham also started brightly but perished for 10 when he was caught by Paul Coot off the bowling of Flanagan, 145-3.

New batsman Peter Richards looked very comfortable and added 43 runs in partnership with Hampson before he fell to an excellent catch by Flanagan for 28, 188-4. Next to the crease was Dylan Heginbotham but unfortunately Josh Hampson fell to another excellent catch by Flanagan for 91, 202-5.

Enter Jordan Henderson who proceeded to smash the bowling to all parts of the ground before he eventually fell bowled by Paul Coot for a blistering 40, 254-6, and the innings eventually closed on 263-7 with Heginbotham not out 25.

The Barnton response was led by Ben Wingfield and Callum Doyle against the Greens opening attack of Jason Downey and Jack Needham.

In his first over, Downey was confidently struck for two fours and a two by Wingfield before bowling him with the sixth ball of the over.

New batsman Adam Garrod also started confidently and, with Doyle really taking a shine to anything short, the pair quickly added 44 runs before Dylan Heginbotham, who had replaced Downey, bowled Doyle for 35, 54-2.

New batsman Paul Coot joined Garrod and whilst being very watchful he also punished loose balls. At this time Heginbotham was bowling a very good line and both batsmen had to be watchful.

Garrod was next to fall, bowled Heginbotham for 16, 77-3, which very quickly became 77-4 when the same bowler dismissed new batsman Joel Cross for a duck.

At this stage the Greens’ fielders were probably looking for an early finish but Coot and new batsman Cory Devanny had other thoughts as they started to take the initiative away from the Green and with 35 coming from two overs they quickly raced to 143-4.

The introduction of the Greens two spinners, Jordan Henderson and Mark Richards slowly reeled in the scoring rate and when Henderson removed Coot for 49, 167-5, the task became a little more daunting and in the following over Richards had Pat Flanagan caught by Paul Needham for 1, 170-6.

Devanny was next to fall being bowled by Henderson for an excellent 62, 184-7.

Next Richards had James Hodgkinson caught by Paul Needham for 11, 196-8 and with Henderson having Matthew Gosnall stumped for 4, the innings closed on 204-9.

Pick of the Greens bowlers were Dylan Heginbotham 6 overs 3-22, Jordan Henderson 10 overs 3-44 and Mark Richards 9 overs 2-22.

Next Saturday the Green are at home both days, on Saturday to Cheadle Hulme, 1pm start and on Sunday Northop Hall in the Village Cup.