WOODFORD V HAWK GREEN
WOODFORD v HAWK GREEN
The Green made the short trip to Woodford for a repeat of last weeks game and on winning the toss skipper Jack Needham decided to bat first opening the innings with Josh Hampson and Paul Needham against Woodfords opening bowlers Tom Metcalfe and Mike Smith. Both bowlers bowled a good line and length and runs were hard to come by, Needham was first to fall adjudged LBW off the bowling of Smith for 10, 28 - 1, new batsman Peter Richards was soon into his stride and quickly hit Metcalfe out of the attack. Smith was replaced by Jack Metcalfe a slow bowler of some promise and Tom Metcalfe was replaced by Abdul Wahab and it was the latter who struck first bowling Richards for a bright and breezy 31, 72 - 2, this brought skipper Jack Needham to the crease and he looked comfortable from ball one. Wahab was causing both batsmen problems with his pace generated from such a short run up and it was a surprise to all when he was removed from the attack and replaced by Gareth Moorhouse, next to fall was Hampson from a full toss from the bowling of Jack Metcalfe for 25, 84 - 3, Dylan Heginbotham fell to the same bowler in exactly the same manor a ball he should have scored at least a boundary from but instead hit it straight to cover out for 10, 96 - 4. Throughout this the skipper was busily accumulating runs and looking in good nick, Logan Jeffs came and went for only 2, bowled by Jack Metcalfe, trying to tickle the ball to third man, 116 - 5, this was followed by a partnership of 31 between Needham and new batsman Ben Cartledge this ended when the latter was caught and bowled off a leading edge by Moorhouse, 147 - 6. The strength of the Greens batting was shown as Lee Hallas joined Needham and started stroking the ball to all parts of the ground and even when Needham out off the bowling of Smith for a well constructed 60, 178 - 7, he continued to milk the bowlers along with a short cameo from Sam Clarke adjudged LBW to Smith for 15 including three well times 4s, 209 - 8. The final two batsmen Mark Richards and George Ridings stayed with Hallas long enough to take the final total to 252 all out with Hallas closing on a magnificent 47 not out.The Woodford response was led by Tom Metcalfe and skipper Dan Clinch against the Greens usual pairing of Jack Needham and Dylan Heginbotham, Metcalfe set off as if he was intent on finishing the game as soon as possible taking 10 from the first over. However it was Clinch who fell first to Heginbotham caught behind by Hampson for a duck 10- 1,after hitting Heginbotham for a six over cover point Metcalfe was yorked by Needham for 19 and after last weeks magnificent innings the old adage comes in, last weeks news is this weeks fish and chips paper, 24 - 2. Tom Anderson fell shortly after for 6 bowled Dylan Heginbotham, 29 - 3, Mick Marsden hit 12 before he was bowled by Needham 51 - 4, this brought Adam Glinch to the crease to join Abdul Wahab but he fell for a duck caught behind, 51 -5.Wabag had a very interesting style of batting, quite simple see ball hit ball and it was for a short period very destructive before he was given out handled ball off the bowling of Mark Richards for a very entertaining 42, 87 - 7, with the game looking dead and buried Sam Elms and Gareth Moorhouse started to enjoy some loose bowling and much to the delight of their
took the score to 152 when first Moorhouse was out for 41 off the bowling of George Ridings and skipper Needham came back into the attack to take the final two wickets and the innings closed with Needham bowled Needham on 158. The Greens skipper closed a fine all round day with 6 wickets to go with his 60 runs.
Next week the Green are at home to Appleton wickets pitched 1-00pm.
