HAWK GREEN v APPLETON & WESTMINSTER PARK V HAWK GREEN

On a day more befitting a game of cricket with the sun shining the Green entertained Appleton and on winning the toss the visitors skipper elected to bat opening the innings with Mike Pottridge and Ali Serieth against the Greens opening pair of skipper Jack Needham and Dylan Heginbotham. With a little bit of moisture on the wicket from overnight rain the ball was moving around a little but there was still plenty of pace in it and both batsmen struggled to bat with any assurance and after 12 overs with the score on just 24 the skipper took Heginbotham out of the attack and introduced the spin of Josh Unsworth and Mark Richards and whilst both batsmen continued to struggle to come to terms with the bowling the run rate continued to decline. Eventually the Green had sucess as in the 21st over Serieth hit the ball into the covers and called for a single but Sam Clarke flung himself to his left stopped the ball and in one move threw the ball to the bowler and Pottridge was run out by some distance for 30, 48 - 1. New batsman Sam Cooper failed to trouble the scorers as he was bowled by Richards for a duck, 48 - 2, it was now quite obvious to all that Serieth had to take the responsibility of keeping Appleton in the game. Andrew Pierson shone briefly as he struck three 4s before being caught by Peter Richards off the bowling of Unsworth for 12, 71- 3, new batsman Chris Blank was next to fall caught Ben Littler once again off the bowling of Unsworth for 1, 73 - 4, and next to the wicket Ron Clarke faired little better as he was caught by Jack Needham, Unsworth again the perpertrator for 2, 81 - 5. After 39 overs with the score on 99 - 5 Unsworth and Richards were removed from the attack each having bowled 13 overs with 3 - 45 and 1 - 30 respectively to be replaced by Brad Holme and Lee Hallas and it was the former that had immdeiate success as in his first over he removed Ian McCauley caught Hallas for 13, 108 - 6. Hallas had double success in his second over when he bowled Alan Wright and had Andy Jackson caught Clarke both for 1, 124 - 8, and with the final ball of the innings he removed Serieth bowled for a fighting 58 and a final total of 141 - 9 with Hallas closing with figures of 3 - 21. The Greens response was led by Josh Hampson and Paul Needham against Appletons Ian McCauley and Alan Wood, with the wicket now dried out there was little in it for the bowlers and this showed as both opening bowlers conceded 12 in their first over. This opening pair are really very busy at the wicket and the run rate never fell below 7 an over for the first 12 overs with excellent shots and quick singles, Hampson is in a rich vein of form at the moment and his well deserved 50 came up in the 17th over with a clip off his toes through mid wicket off the bowling of Andy Jackson. Jackson had been introduced in place of Wood and he bowled a very tight line and reduced the run rate considerably and it was he who struck first bowling Needham for 46, 102 - 1, new batsman Peter Richards hit a quick 10 before he was bowled by Morrison, 124 - 2. Both Sam Clarke and Ben Littler were promoted to give them some time at the crease but both failed as they were out for 0 & 1 respectively, 126 - 4, Hampson in partnership with Heginbotham completed the run chase in the 26th over with the former closing on an excellent 76 not out for a victory by 6 wickets, Jackson was the pick of the bowlers with 10 over 2 - 34.

On Sunday the Green travelled to Chester to play Westminster Park in the quarter final of the League T20 competition, the Green skipper Jack Needham won the toss and invited the home team to take first use of the wicket. Wickets fell early on to the bowling of Needham who removed the first 3 batsmen, 23 - 3, this was followed by a brief stand of 40 between Haith and Vyshy but this was briken by the introduction of Jordan Henderson who took 4 wickets and their innings closed on 111 all out. The Greens response started with man in form Hampson being excellently caught at first slip 2nd ball of the innings, Peter Richards was next to fall for 12, 24 - 1, opener Unsworth and Dylan Heginbotham completed the task of reacing 112 without any further hitches with the batsmen closing on 31 and 48 respectively, the Green will now play Ashton-on-Mersey in the semi final on a date yet to be decided. The Greens next game is at Heaton Mersey on Saturday 13th wickets pitched 1-00pm.