HAMWORTHY REC II 216 (8pts) lost to CHARLTON DOWN 252-7 (20pts) by 36 runs

CHARLTON Down have made a great start to their County Division Three campaign making it two wins from two against fellow promoted team Hamworthy, securing victory by 36 runs, at Hamworthy Sports Centre.

Matt Stevens starred with the bat and ball scoring 77 and taking 2-28 and James Pretty was a game changer with the ball taking 5-27 and also scoring 32 runs.

Charlton Down won the toss and made the most of batting on a lovely hard track with enormous boundaries.

Jae Miller and James Pretty added 77 in only 13 overs when Miller was leg before for 33 to Stuart Donkin.

The impressive Australian Donkin (2-31) struck again when he bowled Pretty for 32 with the score on 90-2 at the first drinks break.

The in-form Sam Roles (14) was well caught by Gordon Fraser off Tim Martin and then Nick Voss (29) followed soon after with the score on 137-4 in the 27th over.

The Charlton Down innings could have gone either way but the strength in depth shone through with Matt and Dan Stevens batting cautiously but also punishing the bad balls with extreme efficiency.

The match-winning partnership of 85 was only broken as they pushed for more runs in the 40th over as Dan Stevens was caught again by Guy Fraser for 14 of Bob Holness (2-55). By then the score had been pushed to 222-5.

The anchorman of the innings, Matt Stevens (77) batted beautifully with great defence in the early part of his innings but with great flare and judgement in the latter part of his well-constructed 77.

Cameo innings from Kim Park and Javed Gill added 30 more quick runs and left Charlton Down on 252-7 after 45 overs.

The Hamworthy innings did not start well when Cornwall’s Over-50s’ opening batsman Steve Jenkin was bowled by Dan Stevens with a beautiful ball nipping back off the seam for two and then Rich Fagence took a low catch at point to dismiss Nick Berry for 10.

Brother Matt Stevens joined in on the act bowling the dangerous Donkin for a quickfire 32 with the score on 45-3.

The partnership between Fraser (62) and Martin (24) looked as though the game was tilting towards Hamworthy at 121-3.

But the bowling of Javed Gill (1-41) and Pretty (5-27) turned the match back to Charlton Down.

Gill removed Martin for 24 with a fine catch by Matt Stevens. Pretty then took the vital wicket of Fraser (62) with a fine catch at deep mid-on and then ripped out the late middle order taking 5-27 in only six overs.

At 149-6, the innings looked like drawing to an early close but Holness (27) and Tom Meaton (13) added a quickfire 43.

Pretty and the returning Matt Stevens then ensured the run chase came up 36 runs short.

Captain Pete Tucker said: “It was a great game of cricket for all the right reasons and played in the spirit of the game.

“Many players contributed to the win but the batting partnership between Matt and Dan Stevens was pivotal and then James Pretty was his ruthless self.”