Red faces for Hales A

Milton Lindsay Hales A came within a whisker of picking up the Norfolk League's most unwanted record as they were skittled out by Eaton for a mere NINE.Veteran Geoff Vincent and youngster Luke Billington led the demolition job as red-faced Hales succumbed meekly in the Division Six encounter at Hales Green.

Milton Lindsay

Hales A came within a whisker of picking up the Norfolk League's most unwanted record as they were skittled out by Eaton for a mere NINE.

Veteran Geoff Vincent and youngster Luke Billington led the demolition job as red-faced Hales succumbed meekly in the Division Six encounter at Hales Green.

Wily swing bowler Vincent returned figures of 6 for 3 from his eight overs, including six maidens, while seamer Billington returned 4 for 5 from 8.3 overs, including seven maidens.

Eaton skipper John Chilvers, who won the toss and put Hales into bat on a rain-softened surface, said: “The pitch and overhead conditions were helpful to our bowlers. Everything went our way. They were bowler-friendly conditions.”

Chilvers admitted he had one eye on losing the record they themselves set in 1984 when they were bowled out for seven by Great Witchingham.

Hales were nine wickets down for five runs until Greg Cameron hit the only boundary of the Hales innings from a legside full toss by Billington before becoming the final man out, one of eight victims caught.

Vincent, 57, who like Chilvers is in his 40th season playing for Eaton, said: “This has probably doubled my wickets haul for the season. The pitch had variation in bounce, and every time a batsman went to hit me the ball went up in the air - and every catch went to hand.”

It was a club record bowling performance by Eaton, beating the 18 for which they dismissed Sheringham in 1978. Vincent's figures were the CNS School-based club's best in the league since 12-over restrictions began in 1992. He once took all 10 wickets bowling for Carrow against Gothic in the mid Seventies.

Graham Brackenbury wrapped up Eaton's rare 10-wicket win by hitting three boundaries.

It was a new club record low total for Hales, beating the 15 posted in the Coronation Cup defeat by Ashmanhaugh this season.

Shellshocked Hales A skipper Damien Loines, whose side had beaten Eaton by 94 runs earlier this season, said: “It's a good job I didn't win the toss as we would have batted anyway as I felt we had a strong batting line-up. It was so bad it's almost funny. Eaton bowled well and fielded well, although some of our batsmen were a bit unlucky.”