On Saturday 23rd April Hambledon travelled away to Chichester Priory Park for the first pre-season fixture of the 2016 season. Will Bond's men were looking for a winning start to the summer, a mix of 1st and 2nd XI players were selected to face Chichester Priory's 1st XI at a rather scenic ground.
The team batted first and posted a solid score of 189 ao, with contributions from George Marshall (41), Rob Atkins (50) and Lewis Le-Clercq (57). After a gut warming tea of sausages, chips and beans the lads then had to take to the field feeling replenished from a innovative tea by the opposition, due to how nippy the day had become.
The opening bowlers Prad Bains and Rhidian Chapman made immediate in-roads into the CPP batting unit reducing them to 5-4 off 5 overs. A youthful Ian Turner and fearsome trundler Rob Atkins halted the CPP innings in the middle overs restricting the opposition to 163-8. Hambledon CC won by a 26 run margin on the first fixture of the season—up the Dons!—key bowling figures below:
Prad Bains (2-23), Rhidian Chapman (2-3), Ian Turner (2-9) and Rob Atkins (2-35).
Sunday 24th, Hambledon played Winchester University in a home friendly, a game where the Dons batting line up misfired but the bowlers almost salvaged a win. Dons failed to defend their very modest 145ao, Ash Barfoot (28) and Prad Bains (37) dug in to help post a score to bowl at. Dons lost by 2 wickets in the end but a new look talented bowling unit forced wobbly knees in the Winchester batting camp. Opener Seb Duggan cleaned up an opener early, then took two more at the rear end of the innings; Seb certainly enjoyed his new role as an opening bowler. Prad Bains and Spencer Le-Clercq took 2 apiece as well, James Restell bowling very well taking 1 scalp, and also looking awesome in the photos!
Till next weekend...
The Dons face Bishops Waltham in the last pre-season friendly on Saturday, with the big NVKO game on Sunday versus Easton and Martyr Worthy. Come down and watch either match and support your club this weekend!