Hawkley v Selborne: HAVING won the toss and chosen to bat Selborne got off to a positive start.

Both opening batsmen were off the mark with boundaries and although both fell in the early overs the incoming batsmen Walker and Charlton picked up the baton and scored mostly in boundaries as 50 runs came up in the ninth over and 100 runs in the 18th over.

Rory Evans gained some control with movement in the air, however it was not until the 22nd over that Hawkley gained another wicket when Liam Lloyd bowled Charlton after the partnership had added 99 runs, Walker having reached his century in the process.

Lloyd went on to claim a further two victims and Oliver Galliford took more at the other end to leave Selborne on 200-7. Magan Singodia’s left-arm spin claimed two further wickets, a sharp stumping by Barry Allison to finally dismiss Walker for an excellent 119 and a good catch on the long leg boundary by Mark Hibberd as Selborne’s innings closed on 218-9.

Hawkley lost R Evans in the second over, however Lloyd held the innings together with a patient knock as a succession of Hawkley batsmen made good starts but fell in the 20s.

Hawkley needed just over 100 runs going into the final hour’s play with five wickets left, however after Lloyd fell for 38 it was clear that the target was beyond Hawkley’s grasp and it was left to the ninth-wicket pair of Singodia and Hibberd to see out the closing overs and salvage a draw as the hosts finished on 171-8.