Match Report

First XI vs Congleton

Hale Barns (7 points) were beaten by 5 wickets at home to Congleton (20 points).

Whilst his countrymen struggled at the Oval, Jye Bailey took 3-44 and made 61 as he almost single-handedly beat a disappointing Barns' team. Congleton will certainly hope to keep hold of the Australian who has plundered runs and (more recently) taken wickets for fun and is head and shoulders the best overseas in the league.

Congleton won the toss and, after some hesitation, inserted the home side. Filson and Robinson opened up and once again got the Barns off to a good start. With the score on 31, Filson padded up to a straight one and was sent on his way. Robinson then ran out of steam - which is worrying as he only made 18 - and gave his wicket away to Wolfenden who had just replaced the ineffective Higginbotham.

Stubbs nicked behind to give Bailey his second wicket. Wood and Cooper took the score to 83/3 and Barns were fairly well placed to make a competitive total. However, Cooper committed hari kari taking on the mid on fielder and was run out by a country mile. This was to prove the turing point as Wood soon departed edging the erratic Wolfenden and Hunter was ejected leg before to Browe soon after. Only Molloy (21 not out) and Atkinson showed any grit and were chiefly responsible for getting the score to 133.

Molloy and Dunley took the new ball for HBCC striving for an important early wicket. They got it through another piece of running which wouldn't have been out of place in the big top when Browe ran out the dangerous Dale. When Blease guided Dunley's slower ball into the hands of Cooper at second slip HBCC had a sniff.

However, Dunley struggled to repeat his form of the previous week - getting a bit of nip but couldn't find the right areas consistently. Molloy bowled tightly but the edges didn't go to hand and Bailey began to grow more and more assured.

Both bowlers were replaced by Robinson and Murphy respectively. Robinson was getting some big turn and it wasn't a surprise when he got Browe - caught at wide mid on. Browe had a bit of luck but played some handsome drives through extra cover.

Murphy bowled really well again and was the only bowler to trouble Bailey consistently - the Australian resorting to a few desperate flails towards the end of his innings. Bailey (61) crashed Robinson out of the ground not once, not twice but thrice (one nearly destroying the newly erected BBQ, another nearly destroying the Warners!) In fairness, it should have been four times but he finally sank one down Peter Stubb's throat at bovine corner.

Robinson's big turning off-spin (3 for 35) then made three consecutive left-handers look like right mugs (and I know that feeling!) and Hale Barns were left to rue what might have happened had Bailey gone a bit earlier.

A disappointing day at the office. Good luck to Congleton in their promotion challenge.