First Game for the 3rd Team

We arrived at a sunny Grange Park for our first outing in Division 8 this season vs Geddington 3rds . Thankyou to Simon Knibbs for fixing the broken sightscreens prior to the game despite being overun by young footballers and their Parents. The ground has had a lot of work done to the wicket and looked in great order for the opening game.

Geddington won the toss and decided to bat first. Skipper Kev decided to open the attack with our young charges Tom Hilton and George Pitt.
Both lads started well and when George bowled Brodie Biddle with his first ball of the season we had got off to a great start: Geddington 1 for 1.
A tidy opening spell from both lads kept the runs down for the opening 10 overs with Geddington recovering a little to 33 for 1 off the first 10 overs. George struck again in the 12th Over taking two further wickets , bowling Spence for 14 and Mark Pearson caught behind first ball sharply by Ted Flynn. Tom finished his 6 overs for 26 runs, a good spell with any slightly wayward ball being struck for 4 across the lightning out field.
George picked up a fourth wicket in the 14th over after Finn Herrington had claimed his first wicket in the over before, bowling the dangerous looking Ben Templeman for 22. George finished his excellent spell with super figures of 7 Overs, 1 Maiden, 4 Wickets for 16 runs. When George took his sweater Geddington were reeling at 45 for 5 off 14 overs.

After Finn came off the ball was given to Vishal Mistry and James Hawksworth to open their bowling accounts for HHCC. Vishal bowled tidily for 6-2-15-2 Bowling one and having the other caught well at cover by Finn. James Bowled 5-3-9-3 at the other end and between them they claimed the final five Geddington wickets between them. James bowled an accurate spell clean bowling two and catching a return catch off his own bowling. Overall a very pleasing performance in the field and by all the bowlers as we Bowled Geddington out for just 79 in 27 overs. Even more pleasing was that neither Skipper Kev or Ian Street were required to bowl. ( I can't remember this happening ever!)

So set just 80 to win , Kev opened the batting with himself and Amitesh Nagarkar with the aim to see off the new ball and steadily accumulate the runs required. All looking good until ball 8 when Kev was bowled ( by a good ball!) for 0. Mike McDonnell and Amitesh steadied the ship for the next 8 overs despatching the bad balls and keeping out the good ones getting us to 31 before Mike was adjudged LBW for 11. Amitesh got a fabulous delivery to see the end of what was looking like becoming a super first knock for the club going straight after for 19. Nik Patel and Finn Herrington batted very well together seeing the boys home without any more wickets falling finishing 22 not out and 25 not out respectively.

We had reached our target comfortably without the usual 3rd team drama winning by 7 wickets in the 17th over. A cracking start to the season, A good opening run out for our debutants Vishal , James and Amitesh and with Kev not bowling he might be able to move tomorrow!
20 points secured and all done and dusted by 4 o'clock. We go on to next week's game now with confidence high before our visit to last year's Division 8 Champions Great Houghton.

Well played everyone and I look forward to some similar results to come. We looked strong today and I'm optimistic that we can put together a challenge this season.

A very Happy Kev Taylor (3rd Team Captain).