Micky's Pembrokeshire
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Memorial Cricket Match:
Hook remember ‘Hitch’ in style
Hook (104 for 6 & 127 for 1) beat a Richard Hughes XI (113 for 7 & 114 for 4)
Umpires: Les Hastings & Barry Wood.
Scorers: Chris Holder/Sam Rossiter and Jeff Saies.
Hook Cricket Club certainly remembered their late stalwart Terry Hitchings in style as the current team, plus a few friends, took on a team led by Richard Hughes, the nephew of Terry’s widow Hilary.
As well as a match played in 20/20 format, there was also the public unveiling of a special seat outside the clubhouse, which not only has comfort written all over it but a special fitting at the end so that anyone relaxing there can also fit their pint glass into it so not a drop gets spilt – now ‘Hitch’ would have liked that!
Miller makes his mark
The invitation team started off the match with a total of 113 for 7 thanks to an excellent 45 not out from Neyland skipper Andrew Miller which included six fours and a six. Former Llangwm star Darren John came home for the day to play and supported with 32 (seven boundaries) as Ben Field returned from Haverfordwest to lead the Hook bowling with an amazing 4 for 11 haul alongside Brennan Martin’s 2 for 32.
Hook fall nine runs short
Hook found themselves nine runs behind on first innings despite cameos by Burton veteran opening bat Richard Hayman (21), Ben Field (23) and Chris Inward, turning out from neighbours Llangwm and rapping two fours and a big six in his speedy 19 not out at the end in a tally of 104 for 6 where Miller (1 for 28), Steve Inward (1 for 12) and another Burton old-timer in Steve Jones (2 for 22) took the wickets.
Inward shines for visitors
Steve Inward, who plays his cricket ‘up the line’ stroked seven fours in his top score of 48 and Geoff Martin made a welcome return to action alongside brother Gary, supported with 17. Tom Blaxland (1 for 20), Brennan Martin (1 for 26) and Field (1 for 7) were wicket-takers alongside Martin Rees (1 for 15), who handed his keeper’s gloves to Jamie Phelps to show his all-round prowess.
‘Stavvie ‘shines with some huge hitting
Hook needed a big tally of 124 to win but Martin Rees, known to all as ‘Stavvie’, showed that his rest without the gloves had done him a world of good as he slammed a speedy 88 not out so that Hook reached 127 for 1 in only 15 overs – and explained it was because he was thirsty!
He hit 11 fours and four huge sixes, one of which sadly broke the windscreen of Johnston cricketer Daniel Sutton, sharing a useful stand with another veteran in Keith James (10) before Gary Martin bowled his old chum in his 1-23 analysis. Then Rees was joined by teenager Tom Blaxland (25 not out) in seeing Hook to victory.
It nicely rounded off a special day where players walked in to music of their choice and walked out with appropriate music to mark the bowler’s success. It would have been the sort of fun day that Terry Hitchings would have enjoyed – and all involved certainly did ‘Hitch’ proud on his special day!
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