Harry and Simon ton up, as Charlie cleans up

BWCC v Hazlebury Bryan CC (TCL) – Sunday 12^th May 2013

This Sunday’s fixture began with a minutes silence in honour of local Olympic Sailing Champion Andrew Simpson, who recently passed away.

Buckhorn skipper Adam B won the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket that would play well, but in weather that did not look like improving. Simon B and Harry Woolway opened the batting together for the first time in the TCL, hoping to begin well and give Buckhorn a winning start to their league season. The pair started cautiously, but after the first 10 overs had passed Simon B cut loose and started playing shots to all parts of the ground. Harry was looking assured and played confidently. Both batsmen played the bowling well and ran hard and purposefully between the wickets. Simon blazed past 50 and carried on to register his first 100 of the season just after drinks. Harry went past 50 and didn’t look like giving in. Unfortunately, Simon fell in the 23^rd over for 107, which brought Alex Corbett to the crease on his TCL debut. Harry and Alex both looked confident, carrying on from the groundwork laid by the opening stand. Alex hurried to a fluid 50 as Buckhorn set their sights on a total of 300. Having played with a maturity beyond his years Harry did not look like giving his wicket away, allowing him to make it past 100 for the first time in his cricketing career. After a raise of the bat, Harry and Alex carried on in ‘agricultural’ fashion. With a few overs left Alex (75) fell and Charlie Esson (2*) entered the fray to help Harry (125*) push Buckhorn to a massive total of 332/2 in their 40 overs.

The bowling display was to be impeded by soggy conditions overhead and under-foot, but this did not dampen Buckhorn’s resolve. Tom Dunn and Daffy opened the bowling and persevered with a soap-like match ball. Buckhorn’s troubles at the start of the innings allowed Hazlebury Bryan to get off to a quick start. The breakthrough came when Simon B created a sharp run out chance that sent the Hazlebury Bryan opener back to the warmth and dry of the pavilion. This then started a procession of wickets to fall, but to an unlikely bowler – Charlie Esson. Charlie’s last bowling display before this had not gone to plan, however Charlie could not seem to bowl a ball that didn’t overcome a Hazlebury Bryan batsman. After the spells of Charlie (6/29) and Adam B had finished, Hazlebury Bryan were a long way behind the rate and out of sight of victory. The re-introduction of Daffy (1/35) and the welcoming of another TCL debutant, Marcus Matthews (2/4), to the attack brought a swift conclusion to the chase at 168 all out and a maximum point victory to Buckhorn.

Team: A Beetham*; S Beetham; J Beetham; A Corbett; S Dodd; T Dunn; C Esson; M Matthews; G Stuart; C Taylor; H Woolway