1sts Crush HICE

HICE CC 1st XI 71 all out (33.5 overs)

MNDCC 1st XI 76/1 (8.3 overs)

MNDCC won by 9 wickets

MNDCC travelled to Hull Ionians on Saturday looking to bounce back after a very disappointing performance against Sutton the week before. The away side left the coalface early with the points after crushing their long-standing rivals by 9 wickets.

Skipper Ricky Woodmansey won the toss and elected to bowl first on wicket which offered support for both seam and spin. Left armers Col Suggitt and Tom Yates shared the new ball and bowled tightly in the opening exchanges. This pressure was rewarded when in-form Forrester was bowled for 4, playing on against a Suggitt swinger. Yates duly followed suit, bowling number 3 Young for 1 with the score perilously positioned at 13-2. This brought the dangerous Barker brothers together in the middle for HICE and they managed to advance the score, albeit slowly, with some sound stroke play. Spinners Jack Riby and Shaun Tate were introduced and both asked questions early in their spells. A pivotal moment occurred when Riby bowled a tempting off stump delivery and J Barker took on a big drive through the covers. He could only find the outside edge of his bat. The ball hit wicketkeeper Jonny Addy’s knee and ballooned up to Tate who pouched nonchalantly at first slip. HICE’s captain and last season’s match winner with an unbeaten century gone for 31. Boddy’s visit to the middle was short, bowled second ball by Riby for 0. Riby them removed Walker first ball; his tame shot looped up to Suggitt who duly obliged with the catch. 52-5. Slow bowler Tate then got in on the act, dismissing Kingston for no score with the score 53-6. Any hope of a HICE win rested on the shoulders of hard-hitting D Barker, however when he fell for 30 to another Tate delivery, caught smartly by Mike Anderson at short cover, there was only going to be one outcome. Riby (5-22) and Tate (3-15) mopped up the tail efficiently with the innings ending on 71.

Vice-captain Harvey Dixon was sent out to open and his intent was clear. From the first ball, he took the attack to HICE and brutally smashed his way to a swashbuckling 64* from only 29 deliveries. The match was finished by 3pm and MNDCC have consolidated 4th position in the league with this impressive and dominant win.