Bath tour report 2: Hinton Charterhouse

Published author Liam Kenna – possibly the most qualified of all of us to actually do this job – reports from the home club of the Sunday Telegraph’s cricket correspondent Scyld Berry :

The Preston tourists headed to Hinton Charterhouse for their second game, this time under the captaincy of Smudger. Smudge negotiated the toss, politely telling our opposition that they would be fielding.

Justin Powick (17) and Liam Kenna (26) headed out to the lions den reeking of a Bath Brewery. JP out to a pull shot that he told himself off while playing and Kenna – the unluckiest batsman on earth – creamed a short one and got snaffled by a left handed diving catch by a 12 year old.

Enter Gambo Jr and Ben Hill. Both played their way in until Young Gambo exited for a gentlemans 38. Hill still at the crease was showing that his recent membership at Odyssey Gym was paying off.

Jack Morecroft came and went early and in comedy fashion, falling over trying to sweep and getting stumped. Ashley Catlin and Mark Waters both came in with vital cameos but it was all about Hill. 115 runs, his second at Hinton in as many years, he even hit at least three straight.

Preston finished up on 271-7 and a lovely spread and a debriefing from Smudger was had by all.

‘Match Fee’ Catlin (2-21) and Pete Murrell (0-22) took the new ball in what is quite possibly the heaviest opening partnership ever seen in Somerset.

‘Keeper Kenna had an afternoon off, replaced for the day by a traffic cone or Morecroft. Finishing with 2-25 including a slower bouncer and Will Mercer (1-35) bowling with genuine pace and idiocy.

Waters bowled with his genuine stubbornness and Powick had a run out bowling what I think was some sort of spin. Gambo Jr (2-18) took a couple of cheap ones and the Hinton innings limped to 193-8.

Smudger is now the best captain the club has ever had, he even bought his troops a beer, Mercer completed the ‘Yard of Ale Challenge’ in a record slow time and Ben Hill is in the bar talking an elderly couple through his knock.

On to Box CC tomorrow to take on Squirrel CC. A tough one, I hear they are the nuts.

Liam Kenna aged 28 & 1/6 (or maybe those are his match stats)