1st XI v Aston Ingham
The first team made the long journey to Aston Ingham, made even longer by the M5 being closed which meant that it took many of the team more than 2 hours to get to the ground. Having assembled 11 men, Hawkesbury were put in the field and the home side made full use of the good wicket and short boundaries, racking up 311/2 from their 50 overs.

Hawkesbury slipped to 55-5 in reply, before an excellent partnership of 104 between Kudzai Maunze (85) and Ali Bell (30). Albeit the game was already lost, the final wicket pair of Davis Newcombe and Rory Thomas showed excellent fight to put on 24, seeing Hawkesbury to maximum batting points, which could be crucial come the end of the season.

Onwards and upwards, next week brings a return to the John Hawkins ground and hopefully a return to winning ways against Thornbury.

2nd XI v Haresfield Gladiators
Result: Hawkesbury won by 151 runs

A Batting Clinic (with Drama, Explosions, and Near Collisions)
Hawkesbury Upton 2nd XI stormed to a convincing 151-run victory on Saturday, thanks to a blend of elegant stroke play, thunderous hitting, and chaotic running that kept both the opposition and medical staff on their toes.
Winning the toss and batting first, Rob Watts (35) and Paul German (86) got things underway with a solid partnership—although “solid” doesn’t quite capture the drama. German, in vintage form, played some majestic strokes but also very nearly took Rob Watts' head off with a straight drive. It's now official club policy, it seems, that at least one attempted team kill is part of the innings plan.
German continued to plunder boundaries, finishing with 9 fours and 2 sixes in his 86. By the end, though, he was absolutely cooked—oxygen levels critical, legs gone, and the thought of a second run about as welcome as a bouncer to the ribs. The defibrillator was genuinely moved a bit closer, just in case.
Daniel Blackwell contributed a beautifully balanced 39 off 44 balls, threading seven fours through the gaps in a controlled yet aggressive knock that provided valuable momentum through the middle overs.
But it was Rajiv Balanathan who truly lit up the innings. Walking in and launching into power-hitting mode from ball one, Rajiv put the bowlers under immediate pressure. He smashed 44 off just 23 balls, including 5 boundaries and 2 massive sixes, sending several deliveries halfway up the trees. His intent was crystal clear: hit it hard, hit it far, and don’t worry about the running. It was a brutal, match-defining cameo that ensured Hawkesbury finished with a flourish, racking up 262/7 from their 40 overs.

Bowling Brilliance
Chasing 263, Haresfield never found momentum—mainly thanks to Hawkesbury’s bowling unit, which combined control, guile, and good old-fashioned wicket-taking know-how.
Tim Chancellor, the master of deceptive off-spin, was at his crafty best. With deadly accuracy and constant variation, he kept asking difficult questions of the batters—most of which they got wrong. His first wicket came via a sharp catch behind by Dan Blackwell, after a delivery flicked the edge, then pad, as the opener tried to nudge it to leg. Tim’s subtle changes of pace caused further chaos, and it was one of his extremely slow balls that drew an impatient swipe and a well-conceived dismissal.
He wasn’t done. His third wicket was a clever caught-and-bowled, snapping up a reflex chance from a drive drilled straight back at him. With the run rate climbing and pressure mounting, Tim struck again—batsman missed, Tim hit. A beautifully simple equation. He finished with 4/32, narrowly missing out on a richly deserved five-for and the obligatory jug of post-match celebration.
Jon Wallace also joined the action with a moment of pure cricketing intelligence. Noticing that the No. 3 batter liked to wander across his stumps, Wallace delivered a wicked outswinger that started well down leg and swung back sharply into the exposed leg stump. It was a setup-and-strike moment that had all the subtlety of a chess move—and all the satisfaction of watching a plan executed to perfection.
Sam Beeley turned the screws—and the ball. He was getting prodigious spin, often turning it so much that even repeated wild swipes from increasingly frustrated batters failed to make contact. It was a masterclass in flight and turn, as Sam returned figures of 1/6 from 8 overs, including 4 maidens. The batters simply had no answer, or indeed bat on ball.

Rajiv Balanathan rounded things off with 1/9 from 3.4, capping a superb all-round day.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Hawkesbury outing without a comedy moment in the field. Paul German, having replaced both knees with iron rods post-innings and now moving like he was running in treacle, found himself backpedalling after a throw was returned in his direction. Unfortunately, his top half was far keener than his bottom half, and what followed could best be described as slow-motion gymnastics meets collapsing deckchair—a backwards roll that would’ve earned tens from the judges and concern from everyone else.
The visitors stumbled their way to 111 all out in 35.4 overs, and Hawkesbury wrapped up a thumping win—with style, skill, and slapstick all in equal measure.

Final Result: Hawkesbury Upton CC won by 151 runs
Points: Hawkesbury – 21 | Haresfield – 4

Player of the Match: Paul German
For a gritty, classy 86 (and for surviving his own innings).
Special Mention: Rajiv Balanathan
For instant impact, immediate carnage, and putting the ball (and everyone’s nerves) into orbit.
On to the next!

3rd XI v Cam
In this early season top of the table clash and with the skipper, Dave Gorman, back at the helm following injury the thirds continued their winning start with a 62 run victory over Cam. Dave won the toss and promptly selected to bat, again! 5 out of 5 batting first for the 3's! On a lively pitch Cam made it difficult with some nagging line and length. But Hawks made a solid start with another 50 opening partnership before Steve Johnson (31) got a shooter that got through. Partnerships were hard to come by, Lee Hodson reached his 50 after drinks as wickets steadily fell, after a stoic first 50 Lee put his foot down with a 22 ball second fifty supported by cameos from Tom Hibbitt (13 off 7 balls) and Dan Jenkins (14 off 4 balls). Lee carried his bat for 109n.o. and Hawks finished on a respectable 205 all out. With 200 on the board on a difficult wicket Dave set an aggressive field to tempt the Cam batters, and in the 3rd over it worked! The Cam opener couldn't clear the ring of fielders and Ade Fishley (1 for 32) bags a wicket. Cam steadily mounted a response and it wasn't until the first change and the 14th over that Dan Jenkins (1 for 13) had the other opener caught behind. At drinks it was level pegging, at this stage of their respective innings, around 70 for 2. But after drinks Hawks turned the screw and runs were hard to come by forcing Cam to come out of their shell. This created chances and wickets started to fall. Ross Burnell (1 for 18) and Tom Hibbitt (2 for 23) got in the act and even Dave (2 for 26) turned his arm over. With the game as much won Hawks sought max bowling points, Charlie Johnson came back on and bagged a couple (2 for 22) but Cam held on finishing on 143 for 9. So another fine win by 62 runs for the three's.