CHARLTON DOWN (8pts) 205 lost to WITCHAMPTON 268-6 (20pts)

CHARLTON Down lost out to Witchampton in a match with two centurions from each side in a run fest at the Herrison Oval in County Division Two.

Witchampton won the toss and elected to bat, with Dan Hilder who scored 107 in his two-hour stay at the crease, setting up their innings.

The Witches started slowly against the accuracy of Matt Stevens and James Pretty, with only 34 runs coming from first 15 overs, with Hilder in particular leading a charmed life on occasion.

The partnership of 98 was broken when Tommy Tucker had Martin Ashford lbw for 15 in the 25th over.

It was Tucker again who struck with the score on 144 and bowled Hilder for a patient hundred.

But with the platform set it was Mark Hopkins (34) and Gavin Wayman (47) who added a quick 51 in only five overs to push the score to 195-3 when Rob Deadman’s quick hands stumped Hopkins. The returning Matt Stevens bowled Dan Batram for five with the score on 201-4 but another quick 55 partnership between Wayman and Ricky Hempstead in five overs pushed the score to 256-5 as Gill bowled Hempstead for 16.

Eventually Stevens bowled Wayman for 47 and Witchampton finished on 268.

Charlton got off to a disastrous start in their reply, losing both openers inside two overs with Jae Miller caught at square leg first ball and Jack Eveleigh bowled by Stefan Taylor.

It was left to the Charlton Down centurion Nick Voss and Matt Stevens to rebuild the innings. They knocked the ball around the fast outfield with ease but came to an abrupt end when Stevens hit a long hop from slow bowler Stewart Hibberd’s first over straight to square leg and the grateful hands of Martin Ashford with the score on 64-3.

Another good partnership between Voss and Kim Park saw Charlton Down ahead at the second drinks break at 30 overs, however, Hibberd’s last ball of his last over saw Park caught on the leg-side boundary for 16.

Hempstead also struck twice in his last over to reduce the score to 198-7. It was the returning captain Marc Hayter who snapped up the final three wickets to seal the win by 63 runs.

The Charlton Down innings was hinged around the fantastic innings of 120 by Voss, who hit 13 fours and six sixes in his stay at the crease. His crisp driving and excellent running between the wicket was the highlight of his innings and maiden century.