Harpsden v BBC Radio News 20/08/08

Cary On Fire As Harpsden Cruise To Victory

BBC Radio News

Mike + b Ham 31

J Weymes b Birkett 13

B Keohave ct Whittaker b Nugent 2

D Nicholson * b Ham 1

P Daniels ct Cary b Hodgkiss 87

S Gupta ct Ham b Nugent 40

T Maby Not Out 3

J Reilly Not Out 8

TOTAL 206-6

Extras 21

Best Bowling : Nugent 2-24, Ham 2-32

Harpsden

H Cary ct S Reilly b Maby 89

B Hancock b Khan 46

C Pohl * Not Out 43

I Whittaker lbw b Maby 2

A Birkett ct J Reilly b S Reilly 13

R Birkett + Not Out 0

TOTAL 209-4

Extras 16

Best Bowling: Maby 2-31, S Reilly 1-8

BBC Radio News visited Harpsden for this annual fixture, on a dry, overcast day. BBC made a solid start, before Birkett convincingly bowled Weymes for 13. Harpsden then picked up two more quick wickets, with Whittaker taking a catch off the bowling of Nugent, and then Ham bowling Nicholson. This brought Daniels to the crease to join Mike, both batsmen looked very comfortable, Ham made the breakthrough, bowling Mike for 31. Gupta added a quick fire 40. Daniels proceeded to hit the Harpsden bowling all over the park, before he holed out to long off for 87. BBC finished on a very respectable 206-6 off their allocated two and a half hours.

Harpsden made an absolutely blistering start to their innings, with Cary dominating the bowling and Hancock playing a good supporting role. The pair reached their century partnership off just 14 overs. Both batsmen continued to dominate the bowling and it wasn’t until the twentieth over that BBC made the breakthrough, Cary falling for a superb 89, with the score on 144, a brilliant partnership from the two batsmen. Pohl then joined Hancock, but Hancock fell four short of a maiden half century. Whittaker followed soon after, before Birkett also came and went for 13. It was left to Pohl to hit the winning runs for Harpsden, to complete a six wicket win, with 11 overs to spare.