Ken Hammond (left) maybe in the twilight of his cricketing career in the UK, but he can still bowl a fine spell at decent pace. The big man stormed in this afternoon to bag 5-28 in the Kimpton innings to help secure a much needed Lilley victory.
Kimpton won the toss and bizarrely elected to bowl in scorching conditions on a reasonable looking track (pictured below right). Lilley performed well on a track which provided more than it’s fair share of surprises, with most batsmen either dismissed by ‘one that popped’ or lazy strokes against what was ultimately a mediocre bowling line up. Most batsmen got starts, with Hammond (25), Mik Carman (13), Ashby (23), Clarke (19) and Eyres (11) all performing reasonably in the top order. Phil Horner however continued his recent excellent form with another typical innings, 39 runs in all by the time he was last man out attempting to cash in with two overs remaining. Horner is really performing superbly in the middle order this year,
averaging in the mid to high thirties. Horner and Asian Sensation Taz put on 36 for the last wicket, albeit against some bowling which would best be described as ‘from the Nursery End’…namely, they were all still in nappies. But if the ball is there, it’s got to be hit, and I have certainly myself faced some equally ropey pensioners in village cricket!
With 184 posted on the board and with a fine attack of five seamers and a spinner in the attack, Lilley were always in the driving seat. Ashby and Hammond, a bowling partnership which has performed so well over the years but was appearing for the last but one time, again did the magic.
Kimpton were soon 45-7 and staring down the barrel, Hammond particularly impressive with his 5-28. The haul included the wickets of Coloumb and Cooke, who both has foolishly at points of the Lilley innings bowled bouncers at batsmen. Cooke in particular was set up a treat, Hammond dropping a rib tickler in, then one which sent shudders through the slips as it hit his gut, followed by a quick yorker before castling him the next ball. With younger batsmen approaching and the wicket looking as though it would take turn, Ashby turned to Dave Carman to wrap up proceedings, with the Asian Sensation (left) looking to go to a gay bar at the other end. Despite some comedy bowling against some very small children (one was walked to the wicket in a buggy and helped into a baby walker to bat..), the two finished the job and helped bowl Kimpton out for a paltry 65, to give Lilley the win by 119 runs.
