We’ve all been there.

……..this week!! Think the date will be the 20th. Hopefully the weather will allow!!

Hinckley Amateurs started off their season with a disappointing loss on Saturday against Loughborough Greenfields. After being put in bat by the visitors, Hinckley has a mixed start with Lester (20) taking the attack to the opening bowlers but once Lester was out this prompted a mini collapse with Skipper Kendrick (0) & Martin (0) not troubling the scorers. The innings settled with patient knocks by Stu Bailey (27) & Jack Horsley (24). With a late blitz by Simon Woodward who top scored with a quick fire 37, Amateurs finished on 175-8 off 45 over. D.Cartilage being the thorn in Hinckleys line up with 5/66.

Loughborough started brightly with hard hitter Moore hitting early boundaries but unfortunately a dropped catch by Kendrick gave Moore a lifeline which he unduly took as he then compiled a superb unbeaten century to lead Loughborough to a comfortable victory with Amateurs looking back on what might have been. Kendrick said “Unfortunately my dropped catch proved vital as Moore went on to make a very good 100, in hindsight I think if the catch would of stuck it would have been a much closer contest than what the scorebook shows, but we must take positives from this, our ground fielding was excellent & I thought the tail batted very well to get us past the 166 mark to get us a extra 2 points. We’ve got a tricky away tie against Elecricity Sports but definitely a very winnable game for us’

The 2nd XI started off with a very good win away v’s Barkby 2nds. Skipper Mustin hitting a fluent 29 but the plaudits were to go to youngster Tom Donnelly who batting at nine hit a superb 45 not out to steer Hinckley to 187-9. Barkby were set a target of 188 to win but were made to work hard by a good opening spell by Thompson (9-1-20-1) but Barkby had no answer to the ‘spin twins’ by the ever green pair of Ensor & Butterworth who shared the remaining 9 wickets between them. Paul Ensor opened his account for the season with 6/57, bowling Hinckley Amateurs to victory with 5 balls to spare.

The youthful 3rd XI were brought back down to a earth with a disappointing loss to Lutterworth 4th XI Hinckley were set 199 to win but fell well short as Amateurs were bowled out for a disappointing 88 the 3rd XI were at one point 25 for 6 and could have been worse if not for Dave Cumbley who hit a brilliant 51 in 28 balls.

Drum roll please……………………the teams for the first game of the season (or the second game for the thirds!!!!)

1^st Team v’s Loughborugh Greenfields 1^st XI (home)

1) J.Horsley

2) J.Lester

3) L.Martin

4) S.Kendrick    (Capt)

5) S.Bailey

6) D.Grove

7) M.Snow

8 C.Hatcher      (Wkt)

9) S.Woodward

10) M.Lester

11) L.Rastall

2^nd Team v’s Barkby 2^nd XI (away)

1) S.Mustin       (Capt)

2) P.Ensor

3) D.Bedford

4) J.Aymes

5) W.Thompson

6) A.Holmes      (Wkt)

7) J.Harris-Ensor

8 Z.Hurst

9) T.Donnelly

10) M.Butterworth

11) M.Debbage

3^rd Team v’s  Lutterworth 2’s (Home)

1) J.Hill             (Capt/Wkt)

2) B.Cumbley

3) A.Caddy

4) J.Ankers

5) E.Proctor

6) D.Mustin

7) J.Grewcock

8 D.Cumbley

9) J.Woodhead

10) P.Jordan

11) A.Woodward

Some photos from the 1st XI trip to Bakewell

……has started, so welcome back one and all!!

The blog meister (me) has just found his password (thankfully) and we are all systems go for the 2009 cricket season.

A new season brings about a new design to the blog, I hope it doesn’t/hasn’t confused many of you (not hard to do I hear you say)!? I think everything is pretty much where it used to be?!

I’m sure there have been lot’s of happening’s in the off season, some of them to be shared and maybe other’s not!! I would like to congratulate both Stanny and Rose for the safe arrival of Christopher, a son to take on your batting mantle hey Stanny, and also Grovey’s new addition to the family at the end of the last season!? Any other happening’s please mention in the comments….I guess Amateurs related news would also be good to hear of!? I haven’t heard from Wally and Wanda through the winter I do hope the cold snap suffered didn’t kill them off, any news on the metro polishing duo would be good to hear!!!

2 games have already taken place, the 3rds winning on Saturday and the 1st team friendly at Bakewell also bringing about a victory. The challenge is to keep that 100% record for the remainder of the season.

I shall leave this first post short as I don’t want to suffer burn out to soon in the year, which is also the same reason why I like to take my time with a cricket bat in my hand aswell early on in the season!!!

I wish everyone a successful and happy season.

p.s. We will definitely have a Blog BBQ this season!!!!

Ah well – it had to happen eventually (after last year’s record) – matches get rained off!  Both the First and Second XI got well deserved (but not wanted!) rests whilst the Third’s struggled on through the weather.

At least some got a run out on Sunday, in weather more commonly associated with the mid-Atlantic Ocean, blowing Gale Force 8.  Against Leicester Banks, Amateur batted first and posted 203, which, given the conditions was a decent total.  In reply, Banks were struggling until their middle order came in and upped the tempo.  The game went into the last over with Banks needing 7 from 6, Amateur needing 2 wickets.  Runs were taken from the first five deliveries, leaving Banks needing 1 to win from the last ball, bowled by Mick Butterworth.  Fortunately the ball didn’t go far off the bat, enabling Steve French to complete a run-out, meaning the game ended in a tie with Banks on 203-9.

p.s. come on people – start posting again!

Hinckley Amateur 2nd XI recorded their second consecutive victory with a comfortable eight wicket win over Enderby 2nds.  Winning the toss, Amateur’s skipper Steve Mustin invited Enderby to bat, a decision proving to be the correct one when Simon Woodward, with his second delivery bowled opener Weaver.  Enderby then consolidated, moving on to 47 before losing their second wicket, Harrison departing for 21.  Wickets then regularly fell with Enderby being dismissed for 133 from 35.5 overs, with Amateur’s leg-spinner Mick Butterworth finishing with the well deserved figures of 5-41 from 13.5 overs; the main resistance coming from Moore (24) and Blanksby (28).

In reply, Amateur’s openers Richard Stanford and Steve Mustin quickly set about knocking off the runs, with Stanford (32) and Mustin (23) putting on 56 for the first wicket in only 8.2 overs, both being dismissed by Brotherhood.  Winston Thompson (28 ) and Steve Lawrance (37) then came in for Amateurs and finished off the run chase, wrapping the game up in 26.2 overs.

Well done 1st and 2nd team!