3rd May 2025 - HBCC 2nd XI vs Featherstone (A)
🏏 Bridge CC vs Featherstone – Match Report
After winning the toss, The Bridge opened proceedings with veteran Al Grogan and youngster Al Heald. Grogan fell early, but a commanding 101-run partnership between Andy Simpson (58) and Al Heald (41) steadied the ship and set a strong foundation. Simpson’s composed knock combined aggression with control, punishing the Featherstone bowlers with some exquisite boundary hitting.
Momentum continued with Jack Waring (65),* who added a touch of flair and showcased his clean ball striking. As the innings approached its end, we saw flashes of bazball from the lower middle order. George Heald’s audacious reverse sweep unfortunately led to a duck, but a few more cheeky runs propelled Bridge beyond the 200-mark, finishing on 205 from 40 overs, securing maximum batting points.
Featherstone's bowling highlights came from Ronnie Davies and John Todd, who both picked up three wickets each with disciplined spells. Opener Dylan Newby also chipped in with one.
🏏 Featherstone’s Chase
Opening the bowling for The Bridge were Farzan and Ian Smales, facing early aggression from Jordan Sayles (46) and Dylan Newby (16). A pivotal moment came when Andy Simpson channelled his inner Jonty Rhodes to take a stunning catch that dismissed Newby off Farzan’s bowling—swinging the momentum back.
Smales Jr. made crucial breakthroughs, removing the dangerous Sayles and Jason Picken (6), showing composure under pressure. The ever-reliable Jack Waring kept things tight from the other end with hostile pace.
At the halfway mark (20 overs), the game was finely balanced. But the post-drinks session saw The Bridge dominate, with Gribble and Al Heald tightening the screws, increasing pressure, and forcing errors. Leo Marshall ably stepped up behind the stumps, allowing skipper Hibbins to focus on his bowling — a decision that paid dividends as he sealed the deal with three wickets, extinguishing any lingering hopes for Featherstone. Smales Senior had lit up the field with two outstanding catches on the boundary, showcasing safe hands under pressure.
Featherstone closed on 166-9, falling 40 runs short. Sayles’ 46 was the standout batting effort, but ultimately, The Bridge’s disciplined bowling and superior fielding proved decisive.
🌟 Man of the Match: Andy Simpson
For his classy 58 with the bat and a game-changing catch, Simpson demonstrated all-round brilliance and led from the front to secure a crucial win for the Bridge.