Ley Hill v Bovingdon, 9th August 2003

Tom Holman

Ley Hill's amazing 2003 season reached a peak with this overwhelming 155 run win over old local rivals Bovingdon. It was achieved with minimum fuss: just four batsmen needed to post a daunting highest total of the season, before the bowlers piled in to wrap up the win. It brought the Firsts' winning streak to six in a row: depending on how results went elsewhere, the team could secure promotion in the next week or two.

Unbelievably, it was Bovingdon who opted to field first, in blazing sunshine and on a flat track that was made for batting. Bovingdon paceman Latif had openers Keith Strickland and Mark Curtis hopping about, but once they had the measure of him they both settled into their game. Strickland chanced his arm on a quick single and found himself narrowly run out, but Curtis rattled on at a good rate, cutting powerfully before being bowled for 56.

On such a belting track, anything less than 200 would be below par, and Hill's batting line-up had plenty more work to do, but Andy Rennard and Martin Leadbitter then led a savage assault that left Bovingdon reeling. Rennard was unbeaten on 71 in what he modestly called a "scratchy" innings, and Leadbitter, pictured right, closed on 78. The runs were made from just 60 balls, with 13 fours and three sixes, more than one of them to cow corner. Tea - an all-cake affair after the captain instructed his team to "bring what you like" - was taken with Bovingdon contemplating a target of 245 for 2.

The four Ley Hill batsmen featuring in the runfest were absolutely shattered, but the rest of the side was fresh for action, and the bowlers soon tore into Bovingdon's batting in the cooler early evening. Craig Ottaway, pictured yesterday, bounced out an opener before bowling the next man, before Rob Thompson drew an edge to gully, the first three men falling for one run between them. Ottaway picked up two more wickets to finish with four for 21 in a classic spell of fast bowling, and Az Shakoor chipped in with 2 for 17 as Bovingdon subsided to 66 for 7.

A rout was averted by their Australian batsman Clews, but the players returned from a drinks break to find him virtually delirious with sunstroke on the wicket. He was carried off and doused in cold water, and an ambulance had to be called to give him oxygen, but thankfully he later recovered, and probably asked his captain just why he volunteered him to field for three hours in 34 degree heat. Some useful resistance followed as the overs began to tick away, but Birkett still had unpredictable paceman Sam Collins to call on, and he soon bowled the last two men to send Bovingdon spinning to 90 all out. After a league and cup win earlier in the season, this completed a satisfying treble over Bovingdon and brought Ley Hill a step closer to the Premier Division.

Ley Hill: 245 for 2 (Leadbitter 78*, Rennard 71*, Curtis 56, Strickland 27)
Bovingdon: 90 all out (Ottaway 4 for 21, Collins 2 for 1, Shakoor 2 for 17)
Ley Hill won by 155 runs

Man of the match: Martin Leadbitter, whose brutal 78 not out created the breach through which Ley Hill poured

Clown of the match: Rather harshly awarded to Bovingdon's strapping batsman Clews, who is clearly not used to such temperatures in Australia

Click here for the scorecard