In a match played in excellent spirit, the Caribbean captain, Martin, elected to bowl, on a wicket that appeared to offer good early seam movement. This appeared to be the case as first Frank Hubbard, and then Pete Lill fell for the visitors, to leave Huncote 18 for 2. There was a wicket a piece for the lively pair, of Corbett and Khan, but Ian Crossley had survived a dodged early test. He was joined at the crease by Haroon Khawaja, as the two looked to build on a difficult start.

The outfield was short and fast, and Crossley started to play some lovely strokes to the boundary, as the captain, Martin, replaced Corbett. Khan and Martin looked to be bowling in tandem well, and after 20 overs Huncote had progressed to 66 for 2. As Khan tired Crossley started to find the rope and soon passed 50 for the fourth time this year. Khawaja started to tuck into the short leg side boundary, as Martin felt a few maximums and the scoreboard started ticking along.

Bowlers came and went as Crossley and Khawaja looked to be building a great partnership. Crossley soon passed 100 for the first time this year, and the home crowd joined the visiting team, in applauding an excellent effort by the skipper. Later in the same over Khawaja also reached a landmark, achieving his first 50 for his new club. The scoreboard was pushed over 175 with still nine overs remaining when Crossley went for one run too many and was run out by Khan for a magnificent 111. A great innings from the skipper, and a magnificent 170 run partnership.

Peter Kirby joined Khawaja in the middle, but the scoring did not slow, with Khawaja striking more sixes over the short square boundary. Kirby too hit a few boundaries and the running was excellent as the score went passed 230. One big shot too many proved the undoing of Haroon Khawaja’s innings as Hyman caught him off of the bowling of Weeks. Driver joined Kirby and the two pushed the score past the 250 mark, before an excellent Khan Yorker bowled Kirby for 33. Sommer added a few late runs as the score finished on 264-5 off of the allotted 45 overs.

An excellent tea was taking, with a stunning combination of rice and chicken, as both sides appeared to be confident. The Caribbean side had no intention of going down quietly and came out all guns blazing as first E Weeks then I Galloway found early boundaries. Tim Kirby and Wayne Smith were bowling with excellent pace, but the home side simply used this to strike the ball further to the rope. In the seventh over Weeks miss timed a push into the leg side, and was caught at midwicket by Pete Kirby, and the first wicket was down for 20 runs.

This brought the explosive Hyman to the wicket, who crashed a huge six off of Tim Kirby that went miles back. He continued to strike the ball cleanly and looked very dangerous, before the first ball of Paul Knibbs’ spell removed him, caught behind for 31 runs. Huncote hoped this may slow the scoring rate, currently over 5 an over, but S Weeks continued the free flowing scoring hitting three fours to get his innings going. In the 18th over the score passed the 100 mark and things looked well in the balance, with Weeks striking 2 massive sixes. Kirby then produced a quicker ball, and Weeks mistimed the ball high into the air, and the grateful hands of that man Khawaja.

The visiting side hoped this would bring an end to the big hitting, but Khan had other plans, launching Knibbs even further over the ropes. Galloway continued at a slightly slower pace but was hitting the ball well, until Knibbs bowled him for 32. The score had reached 150 for 4, with 29 overs gone and both sides still had hopes of a famous win. Khan was getting good support from Martin as Smith was introduced back into the bowling attack. Huncote needed a break through, and this came in a smart low catch at slip from Lill, off of the bowling of Smith. Martin the man dismissed for 13.

Knibbs then removed the impressive Khan for 39, caught by Hubbard from a lofted shot. Durrant soon followed for 14, as Hubbard took another excellent low catch, again off of Smith, to leave the home side in trouble at 189 for 7. With 9 overs remaining would the home side attempt to bat at for the draw? No chance as Callender crashed a huge six as the score passed 200. But with only 7 overs remaining, the required rate was very high. It looked even looked even less likely for a home win as Knibbs picked up his fourth wicket, clean bowling Callender for just that 6.

Kirby was brought back to finish the innings, bowling in tandem with Smith. With 4 overs remaining Huncote required 2 wickets, the Caribbean’s, 60 runs. Both bowlers were now in a rhythm and scoring was for the first time slow, Wayne Smith especially impressive, and a little unlucky. Kirby then removed Corbett for 2, well caught by Crossley, and only 1 further wicket was required. However Ferguson and Barzey had other ideas taking the game into the final over, despite an excellent attempted catch by Khawaja close in.

Barzey looked to be playing a blinder with Ferguson, as Huncote surrounded the bat for the final over. Four slips, a gully, a short leg and a silly point, all hoped for a slip. That slip did not look like coming as Kirby was played well back down the track. On the fifth ball the strapping opening bowling bent his back again, this time producing a belter that leaped and took the edge of Barzey’s bat, Hubbard making no mistake behind the stumps. Queue massive celebrations for the visitors, who performed brilliantly as a unit to take the victory.

Excellent bowling from the trio of Smith, Kirby and Knibbs. The three finished with 3-70, 3-74 and 4-73 respectively, Smith the most economical. Khawaja batted excellently, but final word must go to the brilliant Huncote skipper, whose innings of 111 runs was simply fantastic. This was an excellent game played in brilliant spirit, and the Leicester Caribbean are a credit to the game.

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