Batting
first, Hill incredibly managed to bat out their 45 overs. Andy Spinks hit 40 and
Chris Jones 33, but the star of the show was Stuart Clarke, a product of Hill's
colt academy, who made 30 not out and sensibly farmed the strike from his
tailenders towards the end of the innings as Hill totalled 195 for 9. Clarke
must now be looking to follow in the footsteps of previous colt graduates, who
have mostly developed severe drinking problems by the age of 16. With the menacing figure of Richardson at the end of his run-up, the target must have seemed a long way off for Downley. As it was they never got close, as Richardson, Puddephatt, Peterson (above left) and Harrison sliced through the line-up like a knife through Ma Green's tuna sandwich. Nine of the batsmen were bowled, and Richardson mopped up the tail to finish with 4 for 26. How long can this Ley Hill legend go on? And will he ever drive to an away game?
Ley Hill: 195 for 9 (Spinks 40, Jones 33, Clarke 30*)
Downley: 103 all out (Richardson 4 for 26, Puddephatt 2 for 23, Peterson 2
for 24, Harrison 2 for 25)
Ley Hill won by 92 runs
Man of the match: Keith Richardson. Again
Clown of the match: Downley's amusingly-named opener Pidgeon, who carried his bat for 47 not out despite not possessing any shots