Sun 25th July 2010.

Super Sway denied at the death

Tony Woodhouse Trophy

Sway 201-5, Hythe & Dibden 140-9. Match Drawn

If Hythe do go on to land this year's Tony Woodhouse Trophy they will thoroughly deserve it after surviving an all-out assault by a most determined Sway side. Fielding a very young side, Sway skipper Matt Bramwell unfortunately lost the crucial toss and was predictably put into bat by Hythe for whom a draw would be suit them well. Openers Sam Nailor and Pete Bennet got off to a brisk start and the score had reached 27 before Nailor inadvertently guided a ball to 2nd slip off the impressive J Stovell. Just 13 runs later Bennet was also dismissed  - bowled playing around a full toss also off the bowling of Stovell. When the relatively experienced Ross Clark holed out off Stovell again for just 7, the Sway innings could have gone either way. However, U15 skipper David Steadman was in fine form batting both aggressively and correctly without giving a single chance. Partnered initially by the big hitting Will Baughan the score moved on to 97 before Baughan was bowled by T Huxley going for one slog sweep too many. That however was about as good as it got for the Hythe & Dibden bowlers as Steadman, partnered by gallic supremo François-Joseph Charton laid into the bowling with a series of lusty blows. Steadman went of to record his first, of what is likely to be many competitive half centuries for Sway before eventually holing out during the final few overs run chase for 54. Fresh from his steady anchor role for the U17s the previous Thursday, Jacob Moore  then played a completely different type of innings - out smashing the Piemeister himself at the other end to rack up 20 not out of just a couple of overs. By tea, Sway finished up on an impressive 201-5 off 38 overs with Charton 46 not out - a fine innings including a massive straight six.

If Hythe had any plans to chase down the Sway score, they were soon abandoned as the Sway opening pairing of Steadman and Nailor terrorised the Hythe batsmen. Steadman was steaming in, full of aggression and accuracy and in his first over induced an edge that was caught by Dave Marshall at 2nd slip. Steadman then struck again in the 6th over trapping Mills LBW. Not to be outdone, Nailor was also bowling a fine spell and in the 7th over claimed two wickets in 2 balls. The very next over Steadman stuck again bowling Zac Miller  and by this point the Hythe innings was in disarray and for them it became a battle for survival with just 5 wickets in hand. A key partnership did develop between Chalmers and Stovell which left Sway frustrated as the overs ebbed away. Chalmers survived an early scare to go onto score 58 whilst Stovell played a very responsible, steady and crucial innings of 17. Sway introduced U13s star Nailor into the attack to make his senior debut and the youngster bowled superbly with excellent pace & accuracy for his age (6-2-24-0), but without getting a breakthrough against the by now steadfast defence. Just when Sway thought time was running out, suddenly it was game on again. Chalmers was finally bowled by the returning Nailor and Stovell was superbly caught by Will Hollyhead in a well-set fly slip trap off the skipper's own bowling.

Going into the last few overs it was nail biting stuff and the excitement rose as both T Huxley  and Young popped catches up to Charton off Steadman (8-5-6-4) and Nailor (8-3-21-4). With just 2 overs to go, Sway needed 1 wicket for victory and the Hythe number eleven H Smith entered the fresh with his wrist in plaster. Sway were well aware that he was an excellent batsman but how well could he play almost one handed? In the event Smith played any on-target balls with skill and the final 12 balls were seen off to round off yet another exciting and close Woodhouse game. All the Sway youngsters can be very proud of their performances - certainly a moral victory if nothing else.