A DEPLETED Himbleton suffered a four-wicket defeat at the weekend to Rushwick as a spirited performance saw the Meadow Boys pick up only two bonus points as they fell into the bottom three in Division Three of the Worcestershire League.
After losing the toss, captain Jon Critchlow was asked to bat first and a lessened batting line up took early knocks as Alex Grimsley went for only ten before the grander Stu Dickenson was inexplicably run out by his captain.
Critchlow (28) looked to be positive but when his foolhardy approach saw him lose his own wicket, Himbleton were in trouble at 61–3 from 19 overs.
Mike Rogers looked to rebuild his side’s innings and was supported well by Andy Hall (10) and Jem Rose (15) but Himbleton’s wickets continued to fall at regular rates.
At the mid-way point the villagers were clearly well below par on 95–5 from 25 overs.
Rogers played with an aggressive defiance on his way to 28 but when he was adjudged LBW, the remaining three wickets fell without any further score.
Himbleton dragged themselves to a total of 134, a score that was well short for the conditions.
In reply Rogers took the early wicket his side very much needed as he cleaned up Dales in his 2nd over.
However, the early wicket brought Phillip Hamilton into the game and his match defining innings of 63 saw his reached the total within 35 overs.
Hamilton showed little signs of the lack of confidence that ravaged his season last year, driving with certainty and defending with sureness.
For the second week running George Clifton was the stand out bowler as his determination rewarded him with two wickets to give his side a glimmer of a chance but Critchlow’s determination to over bowl Ronnie Guy proved costly as his single wicket came at an economy of seven runs per over and saw Rushwick ease to victory.
Hamilton didn’t manage to carry his bat as he was bowled by Casper Jones who, at 14 years old, became the youngest first team wicket taker at the club since John Parker.
Himbleton welcome back eight players next week as they travel to Avoncroft in what has become a much overdue first win of the season.