Cricket: On a day when it certainly didn't look like any cricket would be played Highworth 2nd got back to winning ways with a hard fought win over a determined Spye Park 2nd team.

Spye Park won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that looked remarkably dry and firm considering the overnight and morning rain!

The decision to bat looked a bad one when wickets started to fall in the first and second overs and when another 3 went it looked as though this game was only going one way, but when Jack Bramwell strode to the wicket he obviously had other things on his mind and set about building a great innings with some very composed shots that belied his obviously tender age he finished on 37 not out and the top scorer for Spye Park although credit must also go to Paul Macey who stuck in with the youngster and scored a healthy 30 before he was bowled by Russell Arkley.

Highworth had to get 140 in tough conditions and on a pitch which was playing superbly offering a little something to the bowler whilst being quite fair to the batsmen too.

Their chase did not get off to the best of starts losing their skipper in the 3rd over playing a rash shot and being caught by the ever present Jack Bramwell who just could not be kept out of the game.

Dan Batchelor was joined by Dan Firkins and the two set about piling on the runs before Firkins was run out following a misunderstanding with the other Dan, Batchelor continued but fell soon after chasing a wide one and getting the nick through to the keeper it looked as if the batting collapse was starting and when Sean Close was adjudged LBW trapped on his crease by P Hughes it started to look like we were in for a close game after all, but enter Mark Thatcher with his brand new bat to knock a very quick 58 not out including two massive 6's the last of which was to win the game and even the loss of yet another Highworth wicket couldn't dampen the result as they stopped the rot following two successive defeats!

The game was a great advertisement for local cricket and with Jack Bramwell it shows that the youth cricket in the region is blossoming, he really is a prodigious talent at just 12 years old he showed a maturity to build his innings take his catches and even bowling a couple of overs too.