On Sunday our attention turned to the National Club Championship, and a home fixture against a strong looking York side who posted 389/5 in their league game on Saturday. We returned to normality with the visitors winning the toss and electing to bat. Nicholson and Torre replaced Heather and Guy.
Our bowlers started reasonably well, using a red ball for the first time this year provided a reminder of the difference between the two formats we now play. When Coetzer removed the dangerous Duncan Snell for 15 with a brilliant delivery (in his own words), there was a hint of an opening. However, the visitors top order managed the innings very well, combining energetic running with high-quality attacking strokes. William Wade (50) and Finlay Bean (62) the primary contributors. 217-9 from 40 overs which included 21 extras. Coetzer (4-35) and Mukthar (3-46) the two standouts, although Torre and Williamson also provided excellent control, and helped to significantly reduce the potential total.
The Hill response lacked momentum throughout the innings. At 82-7, a heavy defeat looked inevitable. A 42-run partnership between Harding (14) and Hunter (28) made the score more respectable than it might have been and reinforced the message of the depth we have in our squad. Hunter’s innings included an enormous 6, which he would be happy to talk you through at any convenient moment, though his dismissal has also proved popular on the various social media platforms!
Our live stream camera is now active, and highlights can be found on our YouTube channel. Next week we travel to Eppleton who have had a difficult start to the season, but they are a team always willing to battle, so we will need to be well prepared to get a result.
The scorecard is available here https://benwellhill.play-cricket.com/website/results/5159839
