Hawk Green's hopes rise with Runcorn win

THE Green travelled to Runcorn on Saturday hoping for another victory to boost their chances of promotion.

- JOHN RICHARDS

On winning the toss the Runcorn skipper asked the Green to take first knock on what looked a very green surface.

Josh Hampson and Lewis Clarke opened the innings, facing the hosts attack led by Nauman Akram and Matthew Drury with the latter looking the more dangerous of the two.

Just as it appeared the batsmen had weathered the early overs and had started to play some attacking shots, Hampson was caught by Adnan off the bowling of Matthew Drury for 15, 50-1.

A change in the bowling brought immediate success as Tom Drury trapped Jack Needham lbw for a duck, 50-2, followed shortly after when Lewis Clarke was caught by Keenan off the bowling of Tom Drury for a defiant 26, 56-3.

Sam Messih and skipper Dylan Heginbotham settled in quickly with both playing some eye pleasing shots, Heginbotham with square drives and Messih with flicks off his toes to mid wicket.

Just when this was beginning to look like a match-winning partnership, Heginbotham was run out for 21, 110-4, followed shortly after by Messih, caught Rowland bowled Adnan for 31,118-5.