Double success for Haverhill’s cricketers
After losing their opening league matches of the new Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship campaign, both Haverhill sides tasted success at the second time of asking at the weekend.
In Division One a scintillating spell of bowling by 18-year-old Will Bailey (7-1-8-3) gave Haverhill the perfect start to their home match with Hadleigh.
He had opener Ben Parker caught down the legside by ‘keeper Dave Humphrey for a duck and Marlon Dias snaffled at midwicket by James Smith, also for a duck, before Australian Luke Istead (0) was undone by a slower ball which he chipped to skipper Adam Dellar at cover.
Hadleigh soon fell to 6-4 when Chris Palmer claimed his first wicket for the club and further wickets for Dan Poole and Joey Kettle saw Hadleigh slump to 47-7.
The visitors regrouped and Mark Simmonds (45) and Kyle Tanner (53no) helped them reach a modest 144-9 off their 50 overs.
Haverhill’s new Two Counties opening partnership of Dan Pass and Anthony Phillips put on 80 runs before Pass was lbw to Istead for 43.
Philips fell for 40 and Dellar for 12 before Palmer (27no) and Humphrey (21no) took Haverhill past their target in 43-1 overs with seven wickets to spare.
In Division Three, Haverhill II returned from Brightlingsea with a maximum 20 points after recording a resounding six wicket victory.
Andrew Argent picked up his first wicket for Haverhill since joining from Abington before off spinner Callum Brunning stole the show with an unbroken ten over spell that produced five wickets for 32 runs.
Another newcomer to the Haverhill ranks, Lee Phillips, took 3-7 as the hosts were bowled out for just 88.
Haverhill got home with time to spare, thanks largely to Rob Dovaston’s unbeaten 29.
For fuller match reports buy this Thursday’s Haverhill Echo.