BackSat 15 Aug 2026 · Division 8
Hadlow CC - 2nd XI
3rd XI
189/6
240/8
Campanology Conquers Hadlow
Dan Skinner
Damps reports on a Big Win
Another baking hot day and an outfield that was flat and brown…memories of 1976 for some of us older gits.
A beautiful day but a stressful start for the debut skipper. Getting in the car to see you have zero/nought/zilch fuel was not intended. Just about arriving with 15 minutes before the start, the first team talk was for the debut captain to bollock himself for his tardy timekeeping.
I (not sure I can do third person) lost the toss and the oppo chose to bowl, something Tim had told me they liked to do. It did make me think but the dilemma never arose upon my shout of “heads” and no sign of royalty when the coin landed.
Thank God I had put more prep into my thoughts on the batting line up in the week than my petrol tank, because it wasn’t a 5-minute decision to try and choose an appropriate 1 to 11. Without doubt the strongest team the 3’s has ever had.
Tim and Nigel opened and were dominant from the off. Both struck the ball hard and didn’t let any loose ball go unpunished. As umpire it was nice to watch and also nice to see that within the first 8 or so overs the oppo were grumbling about faces they didn’t recognise and even the word ‘ringer’ was in evidence. They were rattled big style which is testament to Tim and Nigel’s batting. We made it to 15 over drinks with just the loss of Nigel (28) and were rattling along.
Tim fell shortly after drinks for a rapid-fire 55…yes, you read that two-word description correctly!
Robbie and Joe then basically carried on the onslaught in the same manner to the increasing frustration of the oppo who certainly knew that perhaps they weren’t the strong favourites that they thought pre-match.
Robbie scored 50 and then quickly departed and Joe followed shortly after for 28. Like Nigel’s earlier 28 runs, Joe’s 28 really dented the home side’s confidence.
A couple of quick wickets then fell; Steve H caught for 6 trying to keep up the run rate and Angus for a duck.
The home side’s sulking briefly subsided and it looked like we might finish around the 200 run mark.
That was until our “Ringer-in-Chief”, Jason P-R and “Number 10 Ollie” started having fun.
They were brilliant and ruthless and pushed us up to 240. Ollie’s 6 over midwicket was undoubtedly the shot of the day and possibly the best shot played at number 10 in the club’s history!
And so, to the run chase. I got the opener 2nd ball to an LBW shout that their captain and umpire at the time said he desperately wanted to give not out but simply couldn’t find any reason not to. Fair play to him.
The finger went up and so did the temperature of the bat. Having bowled the last over and been hit hard by Jason, a second-ball duck led to a full dummy spit, with shrieking tyres soon after announcing his second premature departure in as many minutes.
A big fella came in to replace him and played some very big shots. Luck was on our side when he played another big shot that was too big for one of his muscles and the ping off the bat was matched by the ping in his arm. Retired hurt for 27…phew!
Jack also opened up and bowled a flawless line and length at one stage having figures of 1-9 off 7 overs. Brilliant bowling by the youngest ever looking 22-year-old.
Keagan replaced me and was on it from ball one. He bowled with good pace and a good line. 1-17 off 6 could have been more and it was only his tender age that led to the mandatory end of his spell.
Robbie replaced Jack and got one first ball. An inspired bowling change ;-). He bowled a very controlled spell, 2-27 off 7.
Jason Preston-Ringer-Reeves, the first cricketer at the club with a triple barrelled name, bowled 3 tidy overs, with Ollie now also getting a go at the other end having kept brilliantly for 30 overs.
Wily veteran Stevie H replaced Reevsey. We were by now cruising to victory but the ever-alert Tim was conscious of them picking up bonus points as their lower order started swinging from the hip. Steve showed all his experience by tempting the batsman by “floating one up” …it floated all the way to Hadlow village.
Ollie picked up a wicket via a great catch by Jack. Angus kept very impressively and had also taken a great catch at third man earlier that warrants a mention because again he was a good bat.
Fine batting, bowling and fielding by everyone made for a very happy bunch and a great result. Thanks fellas…we march on.
A beautiful day but a stressful start for the debut skipper. Getting in the car to see you have zero/nought/zilch fuel was not intended. Just about arriving with 15 minutes before the start, the first team talk was for the debut captain to bollock himself for his tardy timekeeping.
I (not sure I can do third person) lost the toss and the oppo chose to bowl, something Tim had told me they liked to do. It did make me think but the dilemma never arose upon my shout of “heads” and no sign of royalty when the coin landed.
Thank God I had put more prep into my thoughts on the batting line up in the week than my petrol tank, because it wasn’t a 5-minute decision to try and choose an appropriate 1 to 11. Without doubt the strongest team the 3’s has ever had.
Tim and Nigel opened and were dominant from the off. Both struck the ball hard and didn’t let any loose ball go unpunished. As umpire it was nice to watch and also nice to see that within the first 8 or so overs the oppo were grumbling about faces they didn’t recognise and even the word ‘ringer’ was in evidence. They were rattled big style which is testament to Tim and Nigel’s batting. We made it to 15 over drinks with just the loss of Nigel (28) and were rattling along.
Tim fell shortly after drinks for a rapid-fire 55…yes, you read that two-word description correctly!
Robbie and Joe then basically carried on the onslaught in the same manner to the increasing frustration of the oppo who certainly knew that perhaps they weren’t the strong favourites that they thought pre-match.
Robbie scored 50 and then quickly departed and Joe followed shortly after for 28. Like Nigel’s earlier 28 runs, Joe’s 28 really dented the home side’s confidence.
A couple of quick wickets then fell; Steve H caught for 6 trying to keep up the run rate and Angus for a duck.
The home side’s sulking briefly subsided and it looked like we might finish around the 200 run mark.
That was until our “Ringer-in-Chief”, Jason P-R and “Number 10 Ollie” started having fun.
They were brilliant and ruthless and pushed us up to 240. Ollie’s 6 over midwicket was undoubtedly the shot of the day and possibly the best shot played at number 10 in the club’s history!
And so, to the run chase. I got the opener 2nd ball to an LBW shout that their captain and umpire at the time said he desperately wanted to give not out but simply couldn’t find any reason not to. Fair play to him.
The finger went up and so did the temperature of the bat. Having bowled the last over and been hit hard by Jason, a second-ball duck led to a full dummy spit, with shrieking tyres soon after announcing his second premature departure in as many minutes.
A big fella came in to replace him and played some very big shots. Luck was on our side when he played another big shot that was too big for one of his muscles and the ping off the bat was matched by the ping in his arm. Retired hurt for 27…phew!
Jack also opened up and bowled a flawless line and length at one stage having figures of 1-9 off 7 overs. Brilliant bowling by the youngest ever looking 22-year-old.
Keagan replaced me and was on it from ball one. He bowled with good pace and a good line. 1-17 off 6 could have been more and it was only his tender age that led to the mandatory end of his spell.
Robbie replaced Jack and got one first ball. An inspired bowling change ;-). He bowled a very controlled spell, 2-27 off 7.
Jason Preston-Ringer-Reeves, the first cricketer at the club with a triple barrelled name, bowled 3 tidy overs, with Ollie now also getting a go at the other end having kept brilliantly for 30 overs.
Wily veteran Stevie H replaced Reevsey. We were by now cruising to victory but the ever-alert Tim was conscious of them picking up bonus points as their lower order started swinging from the hip. Steve showed all his experience by tempting the batsman by “floating one up” …it floated all the way to Hadlow village.
Ollie picked up a wicket via a great catch by Jack. Angus kept very impressively and had also taken a great catch at third man earlier that warrants a mention because again he was a good bat.
Fine batting, bowling and fielding by everyone made for a very happy bunch and a great result. Thanks fellas…we march on.
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