CHARLTON DOWN 56-0 (20pts) beat HAMWORTHY RECREATION SECONDS 55 (0pts) by 10 wickets

HAMWORTHY Recreation were no match for Charlton Down as the league leaders strolled to a 10-wicket win in less than 40 overs of play.

Sam Roles (5-22) and James Pretty (3-4) decimated the batting order as Hamworthy were bowled out for 55.

Jae Miller made light work of the chase scoring 44 not out from 35 balls as the hosts cruised to victory.

The visitors won the toss and decided to bat first. From the outset the home side put the pressure on, conceding just nine runs from the first eight overs.

Matt Stevens then got the breakthrough as he bowled Joe O’Brien after the opener had scored one from 26 balls.

Gordon Frazier and Tim Wood’s partnership was the only bright spot of the innings as they offered some brief resistance.

But, this was broken by Pretty as Frazier became his first victim for 17.

Nathan Holness fell in the next over for one to Roles, before Bob Holness was caught by Jack Eveleigh off the bowling of Pretty.

The wickets kept on tumbling at increasing regularity with no batsmen able to resist the superb Charlton Down bowling.

Pretty took the wickets of Ty Stroud (1) and Edward Allam (0) with the latter caught by Roles, who seemingly could not stay out of the game.

Roles then swept through the tail, as the last four batsman scored just nine runs between them.

Only Wood (15no) managed to keep them at bay as he carried his bat through the innings, but his vigil proved in vain as his side were bowled out for a paltry 55.

With such a low score to chase, Miller attacked from the outset, and with very little pressure on him, the opener scored freely.

He farmed the strike, scoring six fours and one six in his speedy innings.

At the other end, Jack Eveleigh played an innings in stark contrast to that of his partner, scoring six from 40 balls as he struggled to match Miller.

But, it didn’t really matter as the hosts raced over the line without losing a wicket and having needed just 12.2 overs to secure their 10th win of the season.

They opened up a 15-point gap on their opponents, who sit second in the County Division Four standings despite the defeat.

Up next for Charlton Down is a trip to play the Dorset Indians.

The sides’ match back in May was rained off and it’s the only blip on Down’s record.