Match Reports

Samurai v Hampset (League Cup)

The Samurais got on to the pitch for only the second time this season against an energetic and chirpy Hampset XI.
The tension of school friendships adding spice to the knockout fixture to set the stakes even higher.
KES' Bathampton grounds were prepped perfectly for their inaugral match in what is to become a third home for Bath CC in a new partnership.

With limited time in the middle it gave an opportunity to mix up the order from the week before with Eayres and new sigining Husband asked to start the innings for Bath after skipper Bean won the toss. 
The first 5 overs were won by Hampset conceding only 11 runs but the lack of wickets and time logged at the crease allowed the openers to move through the gears to take the next 5 overs for 37 runs with only the loss of Husband (13) to a great catch, diving forward, by square leg just as he was getting going.
From this point onward the total conitnued to improve as Eayers and Bean took advantage of the Hampset change bowlers. Were it not for a freak dismisal of Bean (33) bowled by a grubber (hit the inside of his left boot and onto the stumps) Bath would have been looking at a total in excess of 150. However starting an innings with 5 overs remaining takes up valuable deliveries as does the need to strike boundaries which can cloud judgments. 
Mabey (15) scrambled hard well until he scampered once too often and Eayres (42) was eventually dismissed in the penultimate over but his stable presence had laid down the foundations for a steady 130 runs.

 

With the ball Bath's opening bowlers Brown (2-11 off 4 ) and Gustard (0-10 off 3 overs) bettered the Hampset efforts restricting the 5 overs to 10 runs the crucial difference were the two wickets. From there it was always going to be a tough ask to keep up with an inflated required run rate. 
The middle overs were taken care of by the Bath spinners Ifans, Williams, Gearing and Bean which was tough for the Hampset batters to get away even with a shorter boundary toward the pavillion. Even so Bogg (41) and Crouch (38) kept going finding it easier agianst the pace of Husband (1-15) and Heywood (0-15) but with 47 required of the final 4 overs a handful of boundaries in a final flourish was never a threat and Bath came home winner by 24 runs.