LODDON A travelled to Hardingham to play their second away game of the season. Although the sun was out, the pitch was still soft and captain R Edmonds was surprised when he was asked to bowl first.

LODDON A travelled to Hardingham to play their second away game of the season.

Although the sun was out, the pitch was still soft and captain R Edmonds was surprised when he was asked to bowl first. This brought about a team talk before fielding, asking Loddon A to field better than last week as that lost them the game.

Loddon A got off to a fantastic start with G Clow bowling C Cowles with a superb yorker in his second over. G Clow and R Andrews bowled well in the heat, maintaining good line and length, but neither were rewarded for their good bowling. It was when a double bowling change was made that wickets fell for Hardingham.

M Edmonds picked up S Lind in her first over, thanks to a good catch by T Jermy. J Fowle followed, chopping on to A Aldred's first ball for five. Tight bowling and good fielding brought another wicket, S Burt (4) caught at cover by T Jermy off A Aldred. Two overs later M Edmonds had T Ecclestone (15), who was looking dangerous, caught at mid-wicket by T Jermy, for his third catch of the game.

M Edmonds finished her spell off with her third wicket, P Anderson trapped in front of his stumps for one. T Jermy was brought on and carried his good bowling form on, finding a nice line a getting plenty of turn. He was rewarded by getting the wicket of M Plunkett for 12, helped by a stunning one handed catch by G Clow.

R Andrews struggled in his come back spell, due to some good batting by G Sheehan, but managed to grab the wicket of D Oakley (0) who squeezed the ball to A Edmonds at point. R Eldridge set about making quick runs hitting R Andrews for a six and four, then belting R Edmonds onto the pavilion roof for six.

But the Hardingham innings did not last long, R Edmonds yorking G Sheehan for a patient 24. This was then followed by J Cheu-Sang, lbw to R Edmonds after a curious decision. This was a much better performance in the field by Loddon A to bowl Hardingham out who are second in the league, for 112.

Although this was a low total, it was a slow pitch and would require patience to score the runs against a good bowling line up. Things started badly for Loddon A when N Reeve was ran out in the forth over for three and was followed next ball by A Edmonds, bowled by S Burt, playing a poor shot.

R Edmonds and G Hall set about a rebuilding job and pressured the fielders with good running, and G Hall punished anything short. G Hall fell next trying to pull a ball that didn't bounce, and A Aldred fell in the next over from J Fowle, struck in front of the stumps by a ball that did not get up.

R Edmonds took a couple of risks to get Loddon A back up with the rate, but G Shipley was next out, caught off D Oakley. J Perry knuckled down with R Edmonds, but runs were hard to come by with tight bowling. With 10 overs left Loddon A needed 54 runs to win, which they are capable of, but on a slow track it was always difficult.

J Perry was caught trying to up the scoring rate, and T Jermy fell soon after for four, doing his best to keep Loddon A up with the rate. R Edmonds and M Edmonds struggled to find the boundaries, and even singles with the fielders covering everywhere.

M Edmonds was trapped in front trying to find a boundary, and was then followed by R Edmonds caught a long off going for a second six. R Andrews and G Clow gave Loddon A hope still both playing classical drives for four, but it was too much needing 19 off the last over, and R Andrews spooned to cover for five, with Loddon A 13 runs shy of their target.

This was disappointing for Loddon A. This time they had performed superbly in the field, but for once this season they had failed with the bat.

Musker McKintyre Person of the Match is M Edmonds who bowled an excellent spell, taking out Hardingham's middle order.