Green’s nine men keep Hyde at bay

LAST Thursday the Juggernauts from the Premier Division in the form of Hyde were Hawk Green’s visitors to Rhode Field in the Cheshire County T20 Cup.

On winning the toss, the Hyde skipper Dan Cranmer elected to bat, opening the innings with Luke Young and Tom Partridge against Hawk Green’s opening attack of Jason Downey and Ryan Stringer.

It was the former who struck first when he trapped Young LBW for a duck, Andrew Jackson was next to the crease and he came out all guns blazing.

With the score on 20, Stringer had Partridge caught by Josh Hampson for 8.

Jackson continued to flay the bowling and added 50 to the total with Cole Turner who was finally out, caught.

Jordan Henderson bowled Jack Needham for just 6, 73-3.

Jackson eventually fell, brilliantly run out by the Greens keeper, Jake Skelton, for 60, 108-4.

Dan Cranmer tried to rally his team but he fell for 22, bowled Henderson, 123-5, whilst taking a catch to remove James Chew for 6 off the bowling of Elliot Young.

Jason Downey split the webbing on his right hand and had to leave the field of play, and with Stringer having already left with a pulled thigh muscle, the Green were down to nine men.

However, the Green’s spin duo of Young and Henderson kept the remaining batsmen in check and the Hyde innings fizzled out on 135-9 on completion of their overs.

The Green’s response was led by Josh Hampson and Tearan Gleeson facing the Hyde opening pairing of Luke Young and Andrew Jackson, both batsmen seemed quite at ease and runs were coming at regular intervals, when Gleeson eventually fell for 28 caught Young bowled Cranmer with the total on 50-1.

Sam Messih was next to the crease and with some excellent shots took the score to 118-2 in partnership with Hampson when he was dismissed for 24 caught Jamie Richardson bowled Jackson a partnership of 68 taking the Green to the brink of victory which was eventually achieved with more than an over to spare.

Throughout this victory and the run chase Hampson had remained calm and without producing the spectacular shots of other batsmen he had played a series of classic cover drives, pull shots and his trademark flick of his toes square of the wicket when he struck the winning run he closed on 68 from just 47 balls.