9th August 2025 - HBCC 1st XI vs Oulton CC (H)
1st Innings
Oulton win the toss and choose to bat.
Oulton started their innings tentatively, not getting many runs off the bat. Arslan and Jack started their spells well with Jack bowling a tight line and length and Arslan getting the batsmen to drive in hope of finding the edge. There were nicks galore in the first 10 overs, with half chances coming our way, a couple of drops behind the stumps from the keeper and stand in slipper. Fortunately, one carried and was grabbed well, down to his left by new kit Josh.
It was B Terry and A Waterson who rattled through the middle order, getting vital wickets and bowling economically building pressure on the batsmen. A few difficult catches when down from K Baig & B Terry but on a positive note, there was a first stumping for the Wicketkeeper, a great run out by stand in skipper Waterson, deceiving the batsman by jogging to the ball and giving them the opportunity to run a second. They fell into the trap as they took on probably the best arm in our team although Fiz showed he is no slouch in the field either, taking a couple of sharp catches at backward point and getting a run out of his own with accurate throws right on top of the stumps. I think Fiz has been reading these reports about his fielding and has made a conscious effort to improve all aspects of his game and is appreciated by all. Bucket hands MH also took a safe grab after giving some choice words to the wicketkeeper for his dropped chances. Banter.
2nd Innings
Our innings started similar to Oulton’s, tentative, but our new openers Ben and Josh looked comfortable as they have done all year batting together. Although they were facing an u15 Yorkshire girls bowler from one end, they both got bowled to decent deliveries from their other opening bowler. It feels like the potential is there for those two lads to build solid platforms for the team going forward. Well, for the next couple of weeks until Joshua repairs his knee and we are in search for another opening partner for Ben…
K Baig walked out to the crease playing his game, blocking the good balls and putting anything too full or too short away to the boundary. The slow bowlers came on and with the field back, he was picking up easy singles. Fiz was trying to be ‘disciplined’ by blocking balls he would usually be battering to the boundary, and got out lbw. A Shahid came and went after tonking a couple of lusty leg side blows to their slow bowlers. Stand-in captain Andy came in and did the same as what he and Baig had done previously against Newton Hill, picking up rapid singles; which made the opposition think abour their field placings. With the field up, K Baig danced down the track and hit the bowler straight over his head to bring up a well earned half-century. With many calling out Andy for his lack of power, he proved them all correct by pulling a half tracker straight to short mid-wicket for a dot ball. Classic.
In what was 3rd v 2nd at the start of the day’s play, we hold our second place for another top of the table clash against table toppers St Chads next week.
Report by K Baig