Maiden Voyage ends in Loss

Little Bardfield Village 224 all out (44.1 Overs)
Walsham le Willows 131 all out (27.5 Overs)

The first day of May continued where April left off, with a bracing wind and Walsham failing to chase down a total. The long journey to a secluded corner of Essex looked to have been a worthwhile one when Ali Waugh removed the two Bardfield opening batsmen inside 4 overs, and when Ashley Forbes took a simple catch in the covers off Liam Bryant’s bowling in the 9th over, the hosts were teetering at 30-3. However, a patient 4th wicket partnership of 109 from 138 balls between Ed Hitchcock and Nelion Ridley dragged Bardfield back into the game. The partnership came to an end when Hitchcock, on 87, misjudged the pace of new bowler Connor Daly, but Ridley continued to keep the scoreboard moving. Fortunately, the Walsham fielders were sharp with their hands as the lower order looked to push the run rate up, and 7 catches were taken through the innings with Bardfield eventually bowled out for 224 at the start of the final over.
The Walsham chase got off to the worst possible start when Liam Bryant was trapped LBW first ball of the innings by Matt Graham. Oli Jackson and Joe Scarce then put on a respectable 62 from 92 deliveries but when Scarce was bowled in the 16th over, the drizzle turned to rain and after a 20 minute delay, Walsham’s hopes were washed away when Rory Hitchcock picked up a hat trick. Jackson could only stand and watch from the non strikers’ end as three successive balls clattered into the stumps and dealt with Walsham’s middle order. When Graham then returned for his second spell, the end was nigh, and he mopped up the tail, collecting his 5th wicket as well as sealing a 93 run win for his team.