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3 Wins in a Row Extends Hyde Lead

3 Wins in a Row Extends Hyde Lead

User 173190017 Jul 2018 - 06:32
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Match Report - 1stXI v Sale

Click here to view scorecard

The sun shone once more on Werneth Low on Saturday, but the outfield had received a true soaking on Friday, and a layer of dead grass sat on top of the outfield. However, after a lot of work removing swathes of it, the outfield looked better than previous weeks.

Hyde were hoping for a third win in a row and came into the game with confidence after big wins in the previous two weeks. After winning the toss, Wellings decided that Sale were going to make first use of the wicket.

With Wightman out with a side strain and Balderson still under a bowling prohibition, Hyde’s skipper Berry opened the bowling with Whittaker. A deadly seam bowler in the nets, but an unknown quantity with the new ball in hand, it took one ball for Berry to make his mark, getting Gyves to snick through to the keeper. A couple of overs later, Berry had his second when Spells edged him to Whittaker, only for Duffy to swoop in and claim the rebound. Whittaker and Berry maintained a lot of pressure, not allowing either batsmen to scores. This pressure helped Berry claim his 3rd wicket in the 12th over, bowling Cannon with an absolute jaffa, leaving Sale 13/3 and in a bad way. This brought Wilson in to join Lawrence and the pair managed to stop a complete collapse, adding a valuable 70 for the 4th wicket at a decent scoring rate. Lawrence was the first to depart, caught in the slips by Berry off the bowling of Duffy, another player with ball in hand for the first time in the league this season. Sale’s captain only managed to see out 3 balls when Duffy had him caught behind, Sale now 83/5. Wilson battled for a few more overs before succumbing to Duffy, caught Fisher, for a very well made 43. Burgess added 29 to the total at a good strike rate but was Duffy’s 4th victim when he skied him down Young’s throat. Clarke was the next to depart, his wicket a reward for Whittaker who bowled a spell far more deserving than just one wicket. Canning’s cameo was ended by a smart grab from Duffy off of Dawber’s bowling, diving low to his left. Sale’s innings was finally wrapped up when Brooks found Duffy’s hands once more, this time from Chew, leaving Sale 159 all out.

Balderson returned to the top of the order, opening up with Partridge, and the pair would be aware of how much time they had to chase a below par score. However, they rushed straight out of the blocks and Lawrence and Gyves crashing to the fence, almost at will. However, Balderson departed for a sharp 21 when he drove a Gyves delivery straight to Wilson. This brought Duffy to the crease, and he and Partridge picked up where Balderson had left off. The pair added 50 at better than a run a ball, with Duffy taking the lead, but Partridge playing some lovely strokes including a six that joined the spectators on the patio. Duffy reached his own half century and was looking like he was going to drag Hyde over the line in a hurry, but he was dismissed by some fine fielding on the boundary from Clarke, who managed to get a catch from what looked like a certain six, Brooks the bowler. Fitzsimmons was next in, stopping the spinners from building any pressure on him by sweeping away at leisure. Partridge too pat his half century, and similar to last week, finished not out on 50 with Hyde finishing 160/2.

This was a complete team performance. Hyde were without options for seam bowlers, and the two who stepped up and filled in took 7 wickets between them. The batting performance was also a great all-round team performance with the runs being shared by the four that were required, and with other teams dropping points, Hyde’s lead atop the league extends. We travel to Davenham next week, a team that held Hyde to a losing draw on the Low, but Hyde will be going into that game hunting another 25.

James Howe

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