A real team effort saw Huncote home in this tightly fought match. Missing the teams quickest bowler at the moment was always going to make this more difficult, but the backup bowlers performed well.

Huncote lost the toss and were asked to have a bat on a damp wicket. Crossley and Frank Hubbard took up the challenge well and were soon both scoring freely. Bharat tightened their lines however and reigned in the run rate. Crossley first to go, well caught at back ward point off the bowling of Sunil. Spencer joined Hubbard and despite some indifferent running the pair moved steadily on.

When Hubbard went stumped off Anup just after drinks the rate slowed somewhat as the bowling was much tighter. Tim Kirby started to build his innings as Spencer carried on in a decent little partnership. With the score past 100 and only 2 wickets down the two batsmen looked to press on but Kirby was run out for a well crafted 37 and Spencer went for the same score, stumped off the bowling of Pravin.

Batsmen came and went looking to add runs as James Brewin added a mini assault, his 26 coming off just 13 balls including a hooked 6 from off his nose. Rashmi battled well with little reward, picking up the wicket of Schutz, as Pravin picked up two more with Khawaja and Mitch Hubbard falling cheaply. Pete Kirby was run out without facing and James Swann was left in with Brewin at the end. 188-8 a good score.

After tea the Huncote bowling looked to get into the Bharat lineup and with Dyke away the new bowl was handed to Smith and Tim Kirby. Wayne Smith bowled a very tidy line throughout and was good in tandem with Kirby who also gave little away. Good catches from Mitch Hubbard and James Swann picked up both openers for Kirby, but Smith was having little luck at the other end. The scoring was at just under three and over but with 20 overs gone only two wickets were down.

Peter Kirby had a bowl and Guruav looked to get after him, one 6 bouncing off the club house roof, however in his 4th over following 3 for 26 runs he picked up the wicket of Anup. Pravin followed in similar fashion the following over, both bowled by Kirby and things were looking good for Huncote. Swann joined the attack replacing the luckless Smith as Guruav passed 50 and was looking solid. Huncote strengthened the leg side field and it worked immediately as Guruav hammered a Kirby full toss straight to Schutz at midwicket and the game was up for Bharat.

Swann picked up two wickets as the tail offered little resistance at first, before Peter Kirby completed his first 5 wicket haul with two more. Rashmi looked to hang about and found a willing partner in Nijal at the death. This prompted the return of the two opening bowlers to try to finish the job. Bharat rode their luck until the first ball of the last over when a full, straight Kirby delivery caught Nijal plum in front and 24 points were Huncote.

In the end it was tighter than it should have been but a good team effort sealed the job. MOM to Peter Kirby for his first 5 wicket haul.

Man of the Match- Peter Kirby

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