Hawkesbury Upton CC 2nd XI v Poulton CC 2nd XI
GCL Division 7B – 28 June 2025 | John Hawkins Ground
Hawkesbury won by 94 runs
Points: Hawkesbury 21 – Poulton 3

Hill, Drama, and Full Send – Hawkesbury Romp to Big Win
On a wicket doing everything but talk, Hawkesbury’s 2s brought grit, guile, and a little bit of chaos to serve Poulton a 94-run thumping. There was batting patience (ish), bowling carnage, fielding brilliance, fielding bloopers, and even a near-decapitation. Standard Saturday.

First Innings: Watts and Foxwell – Brains, Bants and Boom
With Poulton sending Hawkesbury in on a pitch with more spice than a Friday night curry, things weren’t straightforward early on. Enter Dominic Hilliker, swinging it, zipping it, nibbling it – finishing with 8-2-15-1 and deserved at least four more. Frankly, the ball was talking more than most of the batters.

Rob Watts, meanwhile, was living his best life – dropped behind in his teens, then gifted another life when he gently returned a catch in the 20s that the bowler treated like a 90mph rocket. Rob, no stranger to riding his luck, did just that – and made it count.

He teamed up with Ben Foxwell, who switched between Test-match leave and full-on Big Bash. At one point the pair had Hawkesbury limping at 59 after 18 overs. Then – boom. Switch flicked. The next 9 overs went for 77 as the pair started bossing it.

Foxwell channelled his inner Jos Buttler – ramping, reversing, and generally bamboozling Poulton’s bowlers on his way to 60 off 73 balls. He finally went for one reverse-ramp too many, got in a tangle, and was stumped while looking like he’d just stepped off a hoverboard.

It would be not be Hawkesbury 2s game for Watts without someone trying hit him, whilst the run rate was getting revved up – Watts completely mistimed a sweep and top-edged so that it gently kissed him on the lips as it zipped past. Helmet? Yes please. His knock ended on a battling 57 off 89 balls, caught and bowled as the ball held in the pitch and he spooned it gently back to the bowler like a thank-you gift.

Post-Foxwell and Watts, the innings had a minor wobble, but then Simon Elcombe decided to break out the fireworks. He launched the shot of the day – a delicious six over extra cover – and finished with a rapid 12 off 11 balls, making him the only batter to strike at over 100.

The tail wagged with Rory Thomas (17)* and Luke Messer (12)* taking the score to a very handy 189/7 off 40. A good total on a pitch behaving like a toddler on jelly beans.

Second Innings: Wallace Opens the Floodgates
Defending 189, Jon Wallace took the new ball and went full Terminator mode. He bagged 3/19 off 8, including the key Poulton batters – though he owes his fielders at least two pints. First, Simon Elcombe, who moments after Dan Blackwell moved him to midwicket, took a one-handed screamer that made everyone briefly believe in fate. Then, the man Elcombe replaced, Sam Beeley, took a sharp one at point and suddenly Dan was taking fielding credit like he'd invented field placements.

Wallace’s third was classic village theatre – the batter shouldered arms to one outside off, only to watch in horror as it ducked back in and clattered the stumps. He walked off trying to style it out, but the damage was done.

Rory Thomas followed up with 2/22, and should’ve had one earlier if not for Lee Hodson channeling his inner penguin at slip, dropping a dolly. Rory eventually struck with a mistimed drive caught at mid-off and then produced an absolute peach that thumped the pad. You don’t review those in Division 7B.

Luke Messer bowled an underrated spell of 4-1-7-1, bowling with the calmness of a man who had no intention of letting anyone score runs. Tim Chancellor arrived late to the wicket party but didn’t leave hungry – grabbing 3/25, cleaning up the Poulton tail like a Dyson on turbo.

Special mention to Sam Beeley, who not content with fielding like Jonty Rhodes, bowled 3 overs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket for 1 run. Absolute filth.

Despite a mini flurry from Poulton’s Archard (17 off 10) and Loxton (15 off 26), Poulton never looked like chasing it. They were bundled out for 95 in 30 overs.

Player of the Match: Ben Foxwell
For 60 runs, ramps, reverse ramps, and one near-accidental floss dance when he got stumped. Still, class innings on a beast of a wicket.

Fielding Watch: Highs, Lows, and Hodson’s Hands
Fielding? Mostly excellent. Some gems, a few gaffes.

Elcombe’s catch? Unreal. Later? Let one through his legs on the boundary that trickled for four. Balance restored.

Beeley’s point catch was textbook.

Hodson’s drop at slip? More “Netflix and spill” than “catch of the season”.

Foxwell also shelled a sharp one – probably still mentally preparing his next ramp.

But in truth, the good far outweighed the dodgy, and Wallace, Chancellor, and Thomas all benefited from safe hands (mostly).

Score Summary
Hawkesbury Upton CC 2nd XI – 189/7 (40 overs)
Watts 57, Foxwell 60; Hilliker 1-15, Cheesewright 2-40, Archard 2-20

Poulton CC 2nd XI – 95 all out (30 overs)
Wallace 3-19, Chancellor 3-25, Thomas 2-22

League Update: Table Toppers!
Elsewhere in Division 7B, the cricketing gods were smiling on HUCC. Both main rivals slipped up (one loss, one draw), meaning Hawkesbury now sit 26 points clear at the top. Momentum building...

- Rob Watts

3RD XI v CHALFORD CC
Hawks pull clear with team performance.

After the early morning rain and no covers on the hillesley pitch, winning the toss and bowling first was the right call as the pitch was like playing in the subcontinent.

With a combined age of 28. C. Johnson and F. Wallace opened the bowling and both bowlers were unlucky not to get a wicket C.Johnson 8-1-13-0 bowing like a seasoned pro. F Wallace hitting the top of off only to see the bails nestle back into place and also finishing with an impressive spell of 6-0-23-0.

The pressure didn’t stop there with E. Riddington 6-3-7-0 and D. Jenkins 8-4-11-3 working in tandem ripping through the top order leaving them deflated.

With the score on 46-3 at 26 overs the away team didn’t get started and didn’t look like even trying. Tommy ( zoom ) Hibbitt also bowling tightly with figures of 6-2-13-0. The rest of the wickets fell to skipper D.Gorman spinning his way to 8-2-13-2. The away team finally finishing on 80-5 off 40.

One of the strong points from this performance being our catching and all round general fielding. L. Green aka ( Ollie pope ) showing his dad how to catch in close, J Whitbread definitely put a name on his catch in the deep Charlie’s ear are most probably still ringing, two sharp catch’s at slip by D.Gorman. Also F. Wallace with some excellent fielding at times and with his bullet arm not allowing the batsman to take a single to him.

The reply!!!
L.Green opening the batting for the second week running showed maturity and some good shot play until a loss of concentration saw him bowled for 13 ( I can see him growing into this role as the season goes on ). With two more quick wickets falling the reply faltered as hawks slumped to 21-3 off 7. T. Green and N.Stacey showed resilience and dug in waiting for bad balls and seeing off the opening bowlers. T.Green finally fell for (9) after what looked like a juicy half volley got big on him and he chipped it to mid on. Z.walker joined N.Stacey at the crease and both players made batting look easy as they smashed the last 50 runs off in 10overs with N.Stacey (35*) and Z.Walker (14*) a great partnership which had Zak trying to knock Neil’s head off with a shot down the ground and Neil just knocking the bowlers to all parts of the ground with ease.

A great win for the 3s who go 9 wins from 9 and head the table at the half way stage. Overall a good display of cricket with a lot of youth coming through making the future look bright for the Hawks.

-Dave Gorman