WITCHAMPTON SECONDS 104 (3pts) lost to CHARLTON DOWN 105-3 (20pts) by 7 wickets

JAMES Pretty claimed his first five-wicket haul for Charlton Down and Jae Miller scored an unbeaten 66 as the visitors coasted to victory in this low-scoring County Division Five match.

Charlton Down’s opening pace duo of Matt Stevens and Nick Voss bowled well with the new ball and it was Stevens’ impeccable line and length that produced the first wicket.

He bowled Neil Hescroft for nine with the score on 22 and when Paul Allaway (29) was trapped leg before by Rich Fagence (2-14), a batting collapse followed.

Pretty blasted through the middle order to leave Witch-ampton reeling on 80-8.

Javed Gill (2-10) then removed the tail to help bowl the hosts out for just 104.

Charlton Down knew batting was not going to be easy, but Miller soon had the scoreboard ticking over with a six off only the third ball.

Careful, but positive batting was required on a rain-affected wicket and a 51-run partnership between Miller and Gill took the pressure off the lower order.

Gill (20) played some lovely straight drives through the mid-on area and Miller was particularly brutal to any ball that was over-pitched, crashing four sixes and six fours.

It was left to Jack Eveleigh and Miller to knock off the remaining runs in only the 17th over.

Victorious captain Pete Tucker said: “Stevens and Voss were unlucky not to claim more wickets but built the pressure for James Pretty to show the art of seam bowling at its very best.

“Special mention should go to gloveman Rob Deadman who only conceded two byes on a difficult wicket and has the bruises to prove it.

“Jae Miller batted with great authority, driving and pulling effortlessly to the boundary in his 45-ball inn-ings of 66.”