In the final game week before the second matches are played, Broadstairs welcomed top of the table Hayes.
Stand in captain Luke Palmer lost the toss and Hayes opted to bat on what looked like a decent track and good outfield. Bradley Ellison and Callum McCormick opened the bowling and kept the scoring shots to a minimum, just 16 runs coming in the first 10 overs! Ellison eventually making the breakthrough in the fifteenth over, young Tom Marshall taking the catch behind the stumps. Ellison struck again in the twenty fifth over clean bowling the dangerous Pratt with the score on 71. Hayes captain Davis was playing sensibly and managed to get to his 50 with relative ease. Both opening bowlers had now finished their spells, Ellison taking 2-48 and McCormick 0-44 both from 15 overs.
Ashley Ellison and Oli Frewin were brought on and both looked like taking wickets, it was Frewin however who got the next, clean bowling the hard hitting Hickford. Captain Davis then pulled his groin and retired on 74 in the fortieth over. The Hayes batsmen then took a crazy run, Callum Morgan picking up the run out. Oli Frewin was now into his rhythm and started to go through the lower order, a splendid catch in the deep by Lewis Hewitt diving one handed, a caught and bowled and another bowled, left Frewin with 4-47.
George Kidd came on the other end and at a tricky time, but he stepped up to the plate and his array of leg spin and occasional googly had the Hayes batsmen guessing, he was unlucky not to pick up a wicket himself. The Hayes innings finished on 183.
After yet another hearty tea (lasagne this week) Brian Simpson and Ton Renouf strode to the crease and took the attack to the Hayes bowlers. Simpson after his relaxing week in Dubai was still despatching the ball to all parts. They reached 46 in the ninth over before Renouf was bowled by the slow spin of Robertson. Callum Morgan was in at 3 and caressed a marvellous cover drive to the boundary before edging one to the keeper and with Luke Palmer following two balls later Broadstairs were suddenly in a mini crisis at 55-3. Bradley Ellison up the order to five this week joined Simpson and found some form, both batsmen batted sensibly, waiting for the bad balls and taking the singles that were on offer, Simpson bringing up yet another 50 in the process.
However in the twenty fifth over Ellison was sharply caught at second slip and Broadstairs had lost their fourth wicket with the total on 107. Still with less than 80 required from twenty five overs and Simpson still at the crease, Broadstairs were hopeful.
Hewitt then attempted a ramp shot and was clean bowled by Thompson, Simpson was then adjudged LBW as was Tom Marshall leaving the home team on 115-7. Frewin and McCormick pushed the score along to 130 when Frewin was caught, George Kidd joined McCormick and kept the Hayes bowlers at bay with a solid defence. McCormick the fell and Ashley Ellison followed shortly after and Broadstairs were 143 all out in the thirty eighth over.
The defeat leaves Broadstairs just 33 points above the drop zone and in need of some victories. They are again at home next week and welcome Upchurch who are second from bottom and a game that they really need to win.
Report by Bradley Ellison