Sunday 22nd May 2005.
Milland CC v Lodsworth CC at Milland Sports Club.
Lodsworth CC 186 for 6 (Jon Houghton 72, Oliver King 51, Matt Hall 21; G Stopher 6 overs 2 for 45).
Milland CC 103 for 7 (D Barford 30, R Glaysher 20, D Allen 22; Andy Long 12 overs 2 for 16, Matt Hall 11 overs 2 for 7)
Match Drawn.
As one wag remarked, if this had been a boxing match, Lodsworth were so far ahead on points that the referee would have stopped the contest. Cricket, of course is played by different laws and the Milland middle order stubbornly resisted efforts to dislodge them thus the game ended in a draw.
Put in to bat, Lodsworth went off a cracking pace. Jon Houghton was again to the fore and included three 6’s in his score of 72. Oliver King found the form that deserted him last year and resolutely hit 51. Matt Hall came good with a sparkling 21 and Lodsworth finished on 186 for 6 in 39 overs. G Stopher was the pick of the Milland bowler with 6 overs 2 for 45.
Milland were soon in trouble from a concerted Lodsworth attack spearheaded by Andy Long (12 over 2 for 16) and Matt Hall (11 overs 2 for 17). Lodsworth’s fielding was exemplary with three run-outs and a sharp catch at silly- mid-on by Jon Houghton. But the Milland middle order dug in and resisted efforts to dislodge them. By the close of play the home team had scored 103 for 7 off 40 overs
Man-of-the-Match Jon Houghton (Lodsworth CC)