National Knockout v High Halstow, May 19th
And so it begins……..the sun shone and the summer finally rolled into town as Bidborough started their epic journey to the home of cricket (well hopefully!)
With another toss won and the aforementioned sun high in the sky Bidborough decided to make the first use of the High Halstow strip. Harding and Baldock opened up and moved comfortably to 21 before the skipper decided to try and run 4 – without success as a relayed throw and a direct hit put paid to his innings. Harding, struggling with shoulder injury followed Baldock back to the pavilion just 8 runs later missing a straight one from Tungate. That brought Jack Redden to the middle to join Stuart Pinchin and the pair set about providing an excellent platform for the rest of the team. They added 56 before a rush of blood put paid to Pinchin – bowled by Coyle for 32. Mark Mitchell joined Jack and started to set about the bowling scoring a brisk 23 before running past a Colgate armball who quickly followed up this wicket with Jackos – bowled for a very well compiled 30. Andy Eames and Pat Rossiter then upped the tempo adding 40 runs before Eamo was bowled by Belsey. The last four overs were what probably won us the game – Andy Healy and Pat Rossiter dispatched the bowling all round the ground adding 42 invaluable runs. Heals ended up 21 not out and Paddy finished unbeaten with 41. Competitive but not unassailable.
Early wickets were required to build the necessary pressure to defend 197 and the two young opener bowlers – Elliot Heim and Dale Hillhouse did not disappoint! In his first over Heim had Munday brilliantly caught at first slip by Rossiter whilst Hillhouse accounted for Sibley in the same way at the other end. Another leg cutter from Heim accounted for Colegates off stump and when Eames ran out Bowles from cover High Halstow were 52 for 4. Hillhouse gave way to Andy Redden who proceeded to bowl unchanged taking 2 for 32 off his nine overs – a great spell from the old pro. At the other end Mitch kept up the pressure with the miserly spell of 1-23 off 7 overs. Throughout the middle of High Halstows innings Brumbaugh kept his head whilst those around were losing theirs to compile a hard hitting 52. Hillhouse returned to have him stumped and despite some hefty hitting from Belsey, Heim and Eames took a wicket apiece to finish the game with high Halstow still 20 runs short of the Bidborough total.