Saturday 10th July 2010.

1st XI march on

Hyde 174ao, Sway 175-6. Sway won by 4 wickets

Sway maintained their promotion push emerging victorious from a potentially tricky trip to Hyde - a team whose victory against Sway in 2008 ultimatately cost Sway promotion.

After much debate prior to winning the toss, Sway decided to put Hyde in. Ultimately this proved to be the correct decision with the Sway bowling attack better able to make use of the new ball. Hyde's opening partnership of the aggressive C Shuttler and the more circumspect Creasey, however, made a bright start. With Shuttler looking to attack and making more plays & misses that it was possible to count, it seemed inevitable that a ball would go to hand. In due course it did, however, the relatively straightforward chance off Grasham's bowling was put down by Alex Hall at first slip. Hyde had seen off Grasham & Walton's opening spells and moved the score onto 40 after 13, when as has been the case so often this season, Steve Thistleton popped up with a crucial wicket to clean bowl C Shuttler and spare Hall's blushes. Shortly afterwards Cakebread, Hyde's dangerous number three popped up a straightforward catch to Walton at mid-off of the bowling of George Thornton who was unfortunate not to pick up further wickets.

Whilst another wicket did not fall until the score was on 92, Sway were throttling the game pretty well and keeping the run rate down on a wicket and outfield where a par score should have been in excess of 200. In the 24th over Jack Walton returned for another crack and produced a beauty to bowl Creasey for 44, and to bring up his 200 wickets for Sway - an awesome achievement for someone so young. Shortly afterwards Nilantha Atapattu bowled Shuttler Jnr for 23. The wily Sri Lankan claimed a further wicket enticing  C Wood down the pitch with Adam Clark completing the stumping. Despite the returning Grasham picking up three wickets in a hostile second spell, Hyde did not fold and a combination of some slack fielding, gutsy batting, in particular from R Seabright (25) and a 9th wicket partnership of 28 meant that the Hyde total was creeping closer to being defendable. In the end, Hyde made it to the first ball of the final over before Jack Walton trapped the Hyde number eleven LBW to wrap up the innings at 174 all out.

After a particularly fine tea, Sway set about chasing what on paper looked to be a relatively straightforward total. The innings however got off to a poor start when Alex Hall was caught behind for just two. Atapattu was then the first, but not the last Sway player to misjudge the pace of the surprisingly moist Hyde track, mis-timing a pull straight to mid-wicket. Things did not improve when skipper Grasham got a tickle through to the keeper, Dan Stevenson was bowled and Steve How was run out for a duck leaving Sway in more than a spot of bother at 92 for 6. Opener Adam Clark was still there however and whilst not finding things totally easy, playing a gritty and patient innings. He was joined by his brother Ross who played a very sensible supporting role. By the time Adam Clark was dismissed for an excellent 82 with the score on 147, Sway were in sight of victory with plenty of overs to spare. It was left to Ross Clark (15no) and Dave Marshall (11no) to steer Sway to victory without any further drama with 6 overs to spare.

Not the greatest of performances, but in seasons gone the game would almost have certainly have been lost from 92-6 chasing 175.

Adam Clark - match-winning innings