The outfield on the Low looked lush and green, courtesy of the regular deluges we have been experiencing, however the outfield still bears the scars of a long and hot summer. The wicket itself was bone dry and was as flat a wicket as has ever been seen at Hyde. Surprisingly though, upon winning the toss, Berry decided that Hyde would be bowling first.

Both Whittaker and Balderson were back in the side, and both reclaimed there place opening the bowling. Scoring seemed slow to begin with, as both offered very little for Smith and Perry to pounce on and Whittaker was rewarded with a wicket with Perry nicking him through to the keeper. This brought Oxton’s captain to the crease, and the pair gradually upped the run rate. The early lack of scoring gave way to regular boundaries. The pair added 93 for the second wicket, seeing Smith past his 50. It was Dawber who managed to break the two apart, when Williams drove him straight to Partridge. Losing Williams forced Smith to push on, and he did just that, dispatching bad balls to the fence or over it, as he seemed destined to reach triple figures. However, the reintroduction of Balderson put a stop to that, rapping him on the pad twice in 2 balls, with his second appeal being greeted by the umpires raised digit. Johnson didn’t linger for long, snicked off by Balderson, and the momentum gathered by Williams and Smith seemed to be petering out. Oxton’s lower order made sure this didn’t happen, scoring just as quickly as those up the order. Thompson seemed to be another backbone that Oxton could form a total around, despite losing Quadri and Gibson to Cranmer (Bowled and Caught behind respectively. Breheny was the next to go, running himself out by quite a distance coming back for the second. Balderson had so much time to whip the bails off, he decided to give it a couple of goes, and Breheny was still well short. Thompsons resistance ended on 35 when he was comprehensively bowled by Whittaker. 220/8, and at this point Hyde’s thoughts were probably drifting towards the run chase. However, Stenhouse added a quick fire 19 after coming in at 9, though he was almost out of partners with Balderson claiming his 3rd by bowling Crick. Stenhouse himself was the last to go, when Young bowled him just 5 balls into his spell. 249 all out, which seemed a decent target, but you felt that Oxton had left a load of runs out on the pitch.

It was the familiar left handed combo of Balderson and Partridge at the top of the Hyde order, with a difficult chase ahead, the pair needed to get off to a flyer. And that is precisely what they did, punishing anything loose. They were aided, no doubt, by the lack of Oxton bowling options. They had opened with one spinner, and lost their opening seamer to a side strain in his 5th over. Still, both batsmen looked class and kept Hyde well above the rate. Partridge raised the bat following a magnificent run a ball 50, converting once again, after a season of nearly’s. The pair added exactly 100, before Vasooja managed to separate them, having Balderson caught at backward point. Partridge was the next to depart, trapped “LBW” by Williams, following the umpires raised finger almost before the appeal. A visibly livid Partridge later insisted that the ball took a noticeable deflection off the bat. The brought Fitzsimmons to join Fisher, and both batsmen took up where the openers left off, keeping Hyde on a cruise control toward the target. Fisher also passed his half century, his first for Hyde after his winter move, his also coming at near to a run a ball. He departed soon after, caught by Smith off of Thompson’s bowling. 180/3. Young came to the crease and looked to end the game in a hurry, hitting a rapid 20, including a big 6 down into the nets, before he was caught on the edge of the circle by Quadri. Cranmer similarly looked to play some big shots, however they didn’t come off for him, and he was caught after skying Thompson by Johnson. Allcock was also dismissed playing a big shot, in a dismissal that was a mirror image of Young’s. 3 quick wickets brought the captain to the crease, (batting 8 due to a medical issue with his son) he looked to assist Fitzsimmons in ending the game quickly. His unbeaten 18 included a monster 6 that seemed destined to reach the beer garden of the Grapes at the foot of the Low. Fitzsimmons finished 45 not out, as Hyde ended on 252/6.

Back where we belong! After the depressing atmosphere around the team last year, to hear “Championes” ringing around the Hyde dressing room was perfect. We deserve to be champions, and every member of the squad has contributed massively during this campaign. Reflecting on the game, all the bowlers chipped in on a wicket that offered them very little. Batting-wise, Tom was excellent and Fishy battled well for his first Hyde 50, the first of many. While our remaining fixtures no longer hold significance in terms of our position, we still have to approach them with the same attitude as any other. There are still 50 points available, and we should endeavour to secure all 50.