Hinton Charterhouse v Wootton Bassett (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Hinton Charterhouse v Wootton Bassett

BASSETT travelled with a full strength team and were looking to get the season off too a good start following the disappointment of two cancelled games.

Having won the toss Hinton ask Bassett to bat. Chahal (47) and Clarke (27), Bassett had the ideal platform with an opening partnership of 65 from 17 overs. Clarke was first to be dismissed, clean bowled, and this brought Australian Walker to the crease for his league debut.

Wickets began to tumble with Chahal miscueing a full toss to mid on, and Lukens recieving a pearler first ball, caught behind.

Walker was looking solid but could only find the fielders with some clasical drives and departed following a superb one handed catch by keeper Thomas for 8. Bassett were now 99 for 4 from 28.

Leech took responsibilty batting out the majority of the innings for 32.

A cameo innings from Chattell, 25 from 16 balls, started to make things look better, but a good yorker ended that and started another mini collapse with three wickets falling in three overs, leaving Bassett 136 for 7 from 36 .

Lee Stevens came in and offered support for Leech and ended unbeaton on 9. Leech was finally run out in the closing overs, but Bassett limped to 159 ao from their 45 overs.

The pick of Hinton's bowlers was T. Hamilton, with nine overs 21-4.

Hinton started their innings steadily, but seemed content with a few boundries in the early overs.

With Stevens and Lancaster bowling tightly, it was obvious early on that this game was going to be close. Lancaster was first to strike in the sixth over, with an away swinger being smartly caught at first slip by Walker, and when he picked up his second in the 14th over Hinton were 36 for 2.

Former Captain Twine was brought into the attack with immediate effect, with keeper Leech taking his second catch in three overs off the first ball. With Stevens picking up his first wicket and Twine getting another two clean bowled, Hinton were now up against it on 65 for 6 from 24 having lost three wickets for 0.

But any thoughts Bassett had of victory were put on hold as Parker 37 not out came to the crease, sharing in a stand of 34 to give Hinton a fighting chance, at 99 for 6 from 32 overs.

But with Stevens picking up two wickets in the 33rd over, all Parker's efforts were now in vain. When Twine grabbed his fourth wicket and Stevens his third, Hinton were all out for 130.

Twine was the pick of the bowling with 13 overs 27-4, but was well supported with Stevens ending with 42-3, Lancaster 30-2 and Stevens 38-1 from 13 overs.