Hawkley v East Meon: HAWKLEY’S first game of the new season was played against strong opposition from East Meon on a fine April afternoon.

The home side won the toss and batted first.

Opening batsmen Aaron Stewart and skipper Hallam Brown both played positive attacking shots and the score reached 40 off only six overs before Brown hit a powerful six into a neighbouring garden before offering a simple catch off the next ball with his score on 17.

Stewart continued his onslaught and notched up a fine half-century as a succession of partners paid fleeting visits to the crease.

Stewart fell to an excellent slip catch for 64 and the Hawkley innings looked like coming to an early close as wickets continued to tumble.

Hawkley’s Jack Charlton rescued the lower order with a valuable 34 not out, mostly scored in boundaries, as the home side reached 173 all out.

East Meon’s reply began in positive style with both openers scoring swiftly, assisted by some clumsy home fielding which grassed several potential catches.

None of Hawkley’s bowlers were able to contain the batsmen or take a wicket until Paul Gray turned a ball sharply to bowl Wheeler.

Thereafter the innings was all about the Atkinsons: father George Atkinson reached 48 before Gray removed him with another sharp turner leaving sons James and William to knock off the runs with some ferocious hitting, with James Atkinson reaching his half-century as he hit the winning boundary.