Berry opened up with Partridge once more, and from the outset the pitch looked difficult going. Only 6 were on the board when Berry spooned Ashling high up into the air, which the keeper managed to chase down and hold onto. Balderson joined Partridge at the crease, and the two looked to negotiate the tricky pitch. The scoring was slow, but the pair added a very important 63 for the second wicket. Partridge then fell victim to Robinson, when he was bowled for 33. Fitzsimmons managed to add 12, and help take Hyde past 100, before he became the first of Dunlop’s five wickets, LBW. Balderson passed his 50, on his way to 63 when he was trapped LBW from the Bowling of Tipton. 3 balls later, Young was on his way back to the shed, also falling LBW to Dunlop. Hyde at this point were 134/5 with 11 overs to go. Fisher and Whittaker fought hard to add only 18 to the score, before Fisher became Dunlop’s third LBW victim. Cranmer came and went, adding only 3 to the score and Whittaker wasn’t far behind when he played Tully straight back to him. Peacock’s 7 ball duck saw Dunlop rap up his 5th wicket and brought |Wightman to the crease for his first bat of the season. It would end without him facing a ball, when an ill judged second run saw him out for a diamond duck, leaving Hyde 163 all out.

Bowdon’s innings also started slowly, albeit, slightly quicker than Hyde’s innings. Wightman struck the first blow in the 6th over, when he trapped Tipton in front. Atkinson followed the very next over when Whittaker also got him LBW. Ashling and Dunlop’s attempt to rebuild from a rocky start was ended in a moment of chaos. Balderson rapped Dunlop’s pad, and while the appeal was still going, a quick bit of work by Peacock caught Ashling napping, seeing him ran out. Dunlop didn’t last too much longer when he was caught off the bowling of Balderson, forcing a very good catch by Young. Teasdale departed for a Golden duck, just 2 balls later, when a quicker ball from Cranmer castled him, leaving Bowdon, 66/5. The ensuing partnership between McDougall and Tully added 41 runs to the score, pushing Bowdon past 100, and looking likely to make the ending close. A bizarre Cranmer wicket ended the duo’s time together. McDougall confidently saw out a Cranmer delivery, however the backspin saw the ball hit the stumps, with McDougall making no effort to kick the ball away. With this major partnership broken, Hyde smelled blood in the water. Shenkman fell LBW to the returning Whittaker, while Grosfils went the same way, but off the bowling of Cranmer. Robinson was yet another LBW wicket in the 41st over, when he became Whittaker’s 3rd. The game was all over the next ball, with Whittaker bowling Ashling, leaving Bowdon 43 short at 120 all out.

We showed great resilience in this game and showed the ability to bounce back in situations that aren’t going our way, a marked difference from last season. It should serve us well going forward. We travel to Barrow next week, another team who we know little about. But if we play like we did this weekend, I feel that we have the ability to beat anyone in this league.

Match scorecard - click here

Hyde made it three wins in three days on Sunday defeating Liverpool comp side Highfield by 170 runs. We will now take on Northern in the 3rd round of the Royal London Club Championship at home - Sunday 3rd June.

Hyde v Highfield scorecard