SOUTH Wilts Cricket Club produced another stunning bowling display to register their second win of the campaign.

They defeated the highly-regarded Totton & Eling by 56 runs to make it a successful start to the campaign for new skipper James Hayward.

Just as they did against Bashley a week earlier, the Salisbury side's bowling and fielding display simply blew the opposing batsmen away.

Hayward won the toss and decided to bat.

But the normally hard fast Totton surface turned out to be anything but, making life extremely difficult for batsmen all day long.

Tom Morton fell early to Dan Goldstraw, but Paul Draper and Eddie Abel dug in against some accurate seam bowling.

The score had reached 57 when Draper nicked Goldstraw, 2-28.

James Hibberd, returning to his old stamping ground, and Hayward both came in and decided to attack but with the wicket struggling to hold up, it was a dangerous policy and both fell to catches off Lee Savident, 2-29.

Abel, 50, had batted in composed fashion meanwhile, picking up singles where possible and punishing anything loose.

But having reached a deserved half-century, he was immediately out to an unplayable delivery from Totton skipper Richard Dib-den, as the ball reared off a length and took the glove.

With Wade following shortly after to the unlucky Metcalfe, 1-16, the writing again looked on the wall for the South Wilts innings.

However, unlike last week, their lower order rallied and Andy Hayward, 13, Rob Pittman, 12, and Simon Branston, 14, all made vital contributions to take the score to 170 all out in the 49th over.

Dibden picked up late wickets to finish with 3-46.

Hayward was far from despondent at the half-wa point: "We felt that was a decent effort. The wicket was far from easy and if we could bowl in the right areas and take our chances we would have a great chance."

Last week's hero Simon Branston struggled early on and was quickly replaced by Ross Crick, and, in tandem with Hibberd, the pair put in a devilish opening burst.

With the score on 18 and buoyed by a couple of cracking drives, ex-Hampshire all-rounder Lee Savident drove loosely at Crick and handed Hibberd a slip catch to open up the floodgates.

The wickets tumbled in an amazing hour for the visitors.

After having several lbw shouts turned down, Hibberd had his Wiltshire team-mate Damien Shirazi trapped lbw and then followed that up by uprooting former Hampshire batsman Derek Kenway's middle stump.

It was now 21-3 and the runs dried up completely as Hibberd and Crick gave nothing away.

As the pressure built, so the wickets continued to fall.

Ricky Rawlins drove Crick to James Hayward and then Archie Norris nicked Hibberd to Morton behind the stumps.

As Hibberd, 3-7, finished his stunning spell, Branston returned to carry on the good work as he knocked James Manning's stumps flat.

When Crick, 3-22, finished his spell by trapping Metcalfe lbw, the scoreboard read 34-7!

Any thoughts that South Wilts' supporters may have harboured then that the game was up were shelved however, as skipper Richard Dibden joined former captain David Banks.

After Banks had survived an extremely confident appeal for caught behind off James Hayward, the pair clearly decided that attack was the best and possibly only option for Totton.

Wade and Hayward bore the brunt of the blast, which was only partially abated when Paul Draper took a stunning catch as Dibden drove Wade hard to extra cover.

Totton's 74-8 quickly became 113-8 as Goldstraw weighed in with a couple of big blows.

Branston replaced Wade at the football ground end and the decision proved an instant success.

Goldstraw aimed one big shot too many and his stumps were re-arranged. Then in his next over Branston, 3-26, found the edge of Banks' flashing blade to secure an impressive 56-run win.

Hayward was elated with his side's triumph.

"We don't want to get carried away, but to do that to one of the title favourites is a tremendous fillip for the team.

"Alongside Havant, Totton are the side to beat, so we are delighted with our performance."

As well being delighted with his bowlers for the second week running, Hayward was full of praise for fellow youngster Eddie Able, whose 50 kept South Wilts' innings together.

"Batting was extremely difficult today and so Eddie's composed innings proved decisive.

"As for our bowling, well what can you say?

"Hibby was well up for it and bowled superbly but we've got to give full credit to Ross Crick, who bowled what was probably his best spell for the club and for once got his rewards."

1:00pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

Print

Email this