Knebworth Blues (190-2, Ashby 1-41) beat LILLEY (188-9, G Tompkins 55) by eight wickets
Lilley crashed to their second defeat on the trot after Dev Wolley’s third consecutive match winning innings thwarted the Lilley bowlers again.
JA lost the toss yet again and Lilley were asked to bat on a fine track at Hitchin Town CG. Doug T and Gareth Tompkins set off in fine fashion, puting on 52 for the first wicket, before Tomsett was bowled by the wiley Smart.Perry followed moments later for a duck and Brad Tomkins (2) was right behind. Skipper Ashby and GT steadied the ship, with the young South African notching his second half century of the year. Tompkins demise for 55 brought Hammond to the crease, and he smote a quick 20 before being bowled by the veteran Robbie Parry.
Parry, having earlier got GT, nabbed his third victim when he had Ashby stumped for 28. Qureshi smacked a quickfire 23 before falling to spinner Mcgarry. The two Phils (there’s a tv programme there somewhere) departed in the name of the team with not a lot to show for it, but it cleared the way for a Collinson/Paddington duel, which left them 6 and 5 not out respectively come the end of the Lilley timed innings of 188-8.
Lilley’s bowlers had something to bowl at, and when GT dismissed opener Cooke for nought having previously broken his bat with a full delivery, things looked good. The next wicket however fell at 135, as Lilley’s bowlers were made to toil by Wolley (101 not out) and Isaac (64). Drops from Hammond and Brad Tompkins were probably too late in the day, as Lilley’s pace five failed for the second year at Hitchin’s batsman’s paradise.
Knebworth eventually ran out winners by eight wickets, although there was time for two fine deliveries by Stew Collinson and several beers afterwards with the home side.
