Sunday 4th July 2010.

U15s serve up tasty treat

Sway 114ao, Mudeford 112-7. Sway won by 2 runs

Whether it was the prospect of the finger licking repast to follow or the strong seaside sunshine, Sway U15s produced what what can only be described as a somewhat lackadaisical performance to only just narrowly scrape past a plucky Mudeford side.

Sway skipper David Steadman won the toss and elected to bat  - with an artificial wicket and a lightening outfield a big score looked on. However the onlookers were treated to the rare sight of Steadman being bowled for a golden duck. Such was his surprise he scratched around in the crease like a cockerel few seconds checking several times that the ball had indeed taken out his middle stump. Next in was Andrew Straw, fresh from his HCL half century the previous day. Alongside Niall Gallagher they took the score on pretty rapidly to 50 before Straw nicked one to the keeper for a fine 27. Just one run later Gallagher was back in the coop, clean bowled for 18. Pinch hitter Max Baybut was elevated to number four but may well find himself back down the pecking order after being bowled for a playing a shot far to early trying to slog sweep a slow ball leaving Sway struggling at 56-4. Joe Fussell (22) and Laurie Symons (25) steadied the ship but when they were both dismissed, Sway again started to wobble. Nathan David went for 2, Harry Rothband a golden, Darren Clark 1 and Matt Laverton a duck. Only Lewis Marden 10no offered any resistance in the Sway tail with the innings finishing on a poultry 114 off just 16.3 overs - as poor as the chicken related puns in this report and was nothing to crow about!

In reply the Sway opening attack  of Steadman and Straw had the Mudeford batsman totally cooped up with just 12 runs coming off the first 4 overs. However no wickets were lost and the Mudeford bowlers began to chase after the Sway change bowlers like foxes in a chicken run. Several times the balance of the game changed - Sway would grab a couple of wickets, then Mudeford would bounce back with some strong batting. Sway were not helping themselves, fowling up by conceding 25 extras and every time they looked in control, allowed Mudeford back into the game. Whilst Straw, Steadman and Rothband all picked up 2 wickets each and there was some find fielding in particular from Matt LAverton and Max Baybut; the key turning point came when the dangerous C Skinner (no chicken pun intended) was superbly caught by Rothband at deep mid-on. Nevertheless, going into the final over Mudeford still needed a feasible 14 to win. Amid nervous scenes Rothband was called up to do the honours and the coach's nerves were frayed further when after a wide, a boundary and some leg byes Mudeford needed 4 off the last ball for victory. However, Rothband held his nerve and Mudeford could only manage a scrambled single and the eggstatic lads were able to enjoy their post match KFC!!

This page is dedicated to the 12 chickens to gave their lives to make this event possible.