Little Bardfield Village CC vs. Witham CC 2nd XI

Date: 19th August 2023

Venue: Witham

Toss: Little Bardfield won the toss elected to bat first.

Little Bardfield Innings:

Skipper Rich Linney opened with Callum Hymas for a side that was hit by a number of high profile absences. After a slow but solid start Callum was caught off a ball bowled by none other than the Fresh Prince himself, for 5 runs. A disappointing trudge back to the pavillion was met with a commiseratory fist bump from his father Daryl Hymas who came out to bat in his place.

Daryl and Rich tried to settle in to pump up the LBV score. But just as they were hitting their stride Rich was caught out for 32. Plucky youngster Sam Register (who is slowly becoming an Oxslip regular) came out to try to make a stand but again the batting partnership was short lived with Daryl then being bowled out for 16.

Out walked the first debutant of the day, Mike Register to form a middle order partnership that Witham really struggled to break down, with the bowlers scratching their heads on how to remove either man. Eventually though Sam was caught out, trudging back having racked up 14 runs.

Will Slemmings came out to hopefully rack up a big score but it was a frustratingly short spell at the wicket and he was dismissed for a duck. Enter our second debutant of the day, Peter "Badger" Taylor frusrated the Witham bowlers further as they tried to see off the Bardfield lower order. He was eventually caught for 8 after a top effort on his first run out for the side.

Sam Goodfellow then came out to face a determined Witham bowling attack with he and Mike trying to push Bardfield onto 125 and another point for the day. Mike was then caught, taking his 12 runs back to the changing rooms in another great debut effort. 

Max Giles entered the fray with a couple of overs remaining and nothing to lose. But he too was caught trying to score runs at the back end of the game. This saw a return to the side for Kevin Roberts. He and Sam saw out the final over but struggled to add anything to the score against a strong bowling and fielding effort from Witham but both walked off the field with red ink against their names.

Bardfield closed with 108/8

Witham Innings:

Witham made short work of chasing the Bardfield total, racking up 111 runs in 16.4 overs. The only wicket being taken by a great catch from Callum Hymas from a ball by our third debutant of the day, Chris Mimmack.

Another frustrating day for the boys but we go again at home on Saturday against Kesgrave.