Hawkley v Howzat: HAWKLEY won the toss and put the visitors in to bat on a grey afternoon with rain an ever-present threat.

The Lamport brothers opened the batting in a cautious fashion against accurate bowling from Hawkley’s Kevin Kinge and Rory Evans.

Only 23 runs came from the first ten overs, however, Hawkley were denied a wicket by the visitors’ resolute defence.

The batsmen slowly accelerated and the total passed 50 without loss until a change of bowling brought results when Ed Peel gained the breakthrough by bowling W Lamport.

This sparked a middle-order collapse as Hawkley skipper Hallam Brown took three wickets in a nine over spell which cost four runs.

R Lamport and T Watts rallied the batting and took the score to 90 before Watts was caught behind.

Brown switched to the other end and took the final two wickets to finish with figures of 5-11 off 11 overs as Howzat were all out for 135.

Hawkley’s innings began in light drizzle, which was forecast to get worse.

Peel and Paul Cross scored rapidly in the opening overs until Cross was bowled for 14 with the score on 34.

Two Hawkley batsmen departed for single figure scores as Peel continued to attack, hitting four fours and two sixes before Lamport bowled him for 52 with the score on 103.

Hawkley now had victory in their sights as the drizzle got heavier and the light faded: Evans scored 16 and captain Brown hit a quickfire 23 not out to take his team to a hard-won victory.