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Result - Hartley Wintney

Sun Apr 30th Grannies lost by 4 wickets

Match report

Grannies negotiated a handy toss at about 20 mins before the start in recognition of our dearth of numbers and elected to bat on a typical Hartley belter. Tristan Gregory opened with Jim Streeter both of whom looked comfortable until Streeter ran himself out taking a second run, tricked perhaps by the short length of the Hartley boundaries.

Run outs was a theme that returned later in the innings. Prior to that James Battersby joined Gregory to put on over 100 for the second wicket, both players smoting the ball to the boundary with regularity and ease. However both then gave regulation chances that were gleefully snaffled and in a blink from 119-2 we were 134-5.

The skipper came to the wicket, dislocated finger and all, and found scoring easy as well before running himself out and leaving the tail to make what score they could before tea and the declaration.

Tea itself was delicious and most welcome as the Baltic temperatures and intermittent (at this stage) rain were chilling all. Indeed once Hartley started to bat the home sages watched their batters from the comfort of the pavilion rather than the terrace where the Grannies had gamely sat.

The story of the Hartley innings was a familiar one from a Grannies perspective. A number of dropped catches, including crucially of the Hartley colt who opened the batting and went on to score a ton and win the game, and a slightly underpowered bowling attack combined to make it difficult for us to protect a score which in truth was at least 30 runs short of par at a small ground.

Nevertheless Mike Fernie and Adam Hill applied themselves from the start and both bowled spells of 10 overs with some success and some chances. One stumping by the irrepressible Chairman off Hill was commented on well into the night by both sides and a decent spell by U13 Mikey Gregory showed promise for the future. James Battersby also bowled well from the short end but we never had enough runs and our fielding profligacy meant the game drifted away from us - mercifully concluding before the now persistent rain could get any heavier.

For all the disappointment at the result this was a thoroughly enjoyable game played in a great spirit against friendly opposition. Having now resurrected the match after an estimated 20+ year hiatus, it can hopefully continue long into the future.

Match info

Gentle Sunday cricket against the HWCC Sunday 2nd XI. Start time of 2pm but meet in the Cricketers pub overlooking the ground from 12pm for lunch.

Location
HW Cricket Green, RG27 8PG

How to get there
Hartley Wintney is on the A30 about 10 miles east of Basingstoke. The nearest motorway junction is J4a or J5 of the M3 both of which connect easily to the A30. The ground and the Cricketers pub are located south of the A30, behind the High St on Oakland Terrace. Parking is available behind the pavilion.