HBBH 53 all out

Rainham 56 for 9

Win for Rainham

The warmest evening of the year so far saw two strong teams play an exciting, albeit low-scoring, game on what is certainly the highest ground on its line of longitude north to the Pole, indeed then southwards until Wrangel Island, which supported the last surviving woolly mammoths, is reached.

Rainham, wearing traditional whites to HBBH’s blue, won the toss and elected to bowl. Connop W. and Herridge, opening the batting for HBBH, were faced with an accurate medium pace attack - to a deep field with no slips - from both of Rainham’s opening bowlers. Nevertheless, Connop W. managed a good leg glance for four in the opening over and Herridge a glance for one in the second.

Another single behind the stumps for Connop W. brought Herridge back on strike. Surviving an unnerving LBW appeal, Herridge was bowled next ball to another good delivery to end the over.

HBBH’s number 3 batsman, Moriarty, had the misfortune to be run out without facing a ball when Connop W. called for a quick single after a strong shot to long-on. Connop W. continued to hit fours until bowled by a full-toss for 13, HBBH’s highest score. Bunker D. at number 4 had started very positively but was unfortunately caught at cover for 2, bringing Hutton to the crease to hit his first ball for four. Hutton was bowled by Rainham’s second opening bowler (whose final figures were 3-9-3) in the sixth over. With five wickets down, HBBH had only 27 runs. Now batting with Bond, Connop T. was then unfortunately caught behind in the seventh from a delivery from Rainham’s first change bowler, after scoring a creditable 9 on what was proving a difficult evening for batters.

However, Bond and Cumming then steadied the innings, working well as a pair and taking the score close to 50. Bond hit two fours and was finally not out for 11. Cumming edged behind for four and also playing a beautiful cut for two, finally achieving 9, a good score on the day, until bowled by the first ball from another strong Rainham bowler, who found himself on a hat-trick when Amin also fell immediately, bowled, to his accurate line. However, Woodrow defended the next ball stoutly and ran well between the wickets with Bond, until finally succumbing, bowled, to the same Rainham maestro, whose final figures were 3 for 0. Bond hit a nice cut for four but the innings was over when Handa, still new to the crease, was LBW to a ball from Rainham’s leg-spinner that went on straight.

HBBH ended the innings 53 all out from 16 overs.

Rainham had bowled well, conceding only two extra runs, placing them in a good position to win the match. However, this correspondent suspected that HBBH would also bowl well and that Rainham’s batsmen would also struggle, and so it proved.

Hutton had five “dot” balls in his first over and Connop T. bowled Rainham’s number 2 batsman in his and both bowled tight second overs, helped by some alert fielding. Behind the stumps, Amin looked more than equal to the task of keeping against HBBH’s openers.

Saving his openers, the Captain brought on, at the Paddock End, Herridge, who as usual made things happen: his second delivery was caught but unfortunately adjudicated to be a no-ball, his final ball of the over bowled Rainham’s number 3. Herridge bowled accurately throughout his spell. Connop W., replacing Hutton at the Pavilion End, then began a devastating campaign, taking a wicket (two in his second) in each of his overs and ending with figures of five wickets for only six runs.

After this onslaught, Rainham were 37 for 7. Moriarty brought himself on to spin and bowled economically in the circumstances, ending with one wicket for ten runs from three overs. Herridge came back on for six more balls, this time from the Pavilion End, and was unlucky not to get an LBW in a superb maiden over.

Hutton then bowled another superb over, bowling Rainham’s number 10 for the loss of one run. Rainham were now 52 for 9 needing 54 for a win and the game was on a knife-edge. Connop T. shouldered the responsibility of bowling the next over and started well with a “dot” ball; sadly for HBBH the second ball went for four giving Rainham victory. These final runs were struck by Rainham’s number 4 batsman, who scored a total of 23: a far from serendipitous, match-winning, innings.