WIDMER DO ENOUGH

Having bowled out Widmer End for only 155, Ley Hill could have been forgiven for thinking they were in with a chance of winning their first league match of the season. Sadly no one told the batsmen.

Despite excellent innings by Hashmi (52) and Jawaid (49), Widmer struggled against some excellent bowling from skipper Craig Ottaway, Jake Wells, Jon Lown and Gary Helm. Felix Chamberlain then took 4-12 in a brief 4 over spell to see off Widmer’s batsmen.

Faced with a not particularly daunting target, the Hill started off slowly and then just got slower. It wasn’t until the 24^th over they managed to average one run an over! Dot ball followed dot ball followed… And the target got further and further away. Admittedly, Jason Degelas (7.4 overs, 5 maidens, 2-4), Ossie Khan (8 overs, no wickets for 15) bowled splendidly to keep the score down and canny spin bowler Stuart Turner took 4-13 from 8 – but oh for a batsman to have a go! Enter stage left, Ollie Runswick, who made an excellent 32 before being quite brilliantly caught by a diving-full-length Andy Walters. The fact that Branigan (12) was the only other Hill batsman to get into double figures tells you exactly what was a thoroughly disappointing batting display this was as Ley Hill were dismissed for 86.