Pre-Season finally started with National Cup Champions Bexley visiting the home of the KCL Premier League Champions!
Hayes batted first and it was great to see our overseas star from last year, Gareth Severin, stride out to the middle – a welcome return for Gareth and a warm welcome to his girlfriend, Grace, too!
Gareth didn’t waste any time getting going – a quick fire 66 got the team off to a great start.
Will MacVicar also took advantage of the weather to make a fine, undefeated, century – Alex Blake joined in the fun with 69 off only 36 balls as Hayes finished on a fine 300-5 in their 50 overs.
Bexley made a great effort to chase down the total but Connor Byrne & Will MacVicar with 3 wickets a piece, kept the runs down and with Alfie Peck taking the key wicket of the Bexley overseas in a fine spell of 3-39, Hayes won by 9 runs!
The 2nd XI travelled to Bexley and bowled first on a sticky-wicket.
Two wickets for Finlay Baker and one each for Luxan Sureshan, MD Belal, Tom Davis and Grant Sheen saw the bowlers have a good work out as the hosts finished on 152-6 in their allotted 40 overs.
Finlay Baker with 23 and Dammika Silva 11, were the only bats to get into double figures as the home bowlers took advantage of the conditions and skittled the visitors for 68.
Sunday saw Hayes take part in the National Cup and welcomed Ashtead from Surrey.
Ashtead chose to bat and after a good start, were pegged back by excellent bowling – Stuart Eddicott & Joe Cotton taking 2 wickets each and skipper for the day, Alex Blake 1 wicket.
Ashtead finished on 187-7 in their 40 overs.
Gareth Severin (37) and James Bamber (10) got the reply off to a steady start with Migs Barbosa (33) and Tom Gallagher (20) providing acceleration – it was left to Rory Low (34*) and Alex Blake (40*) to provide the fireworks as Hayes cruised home in the 35th over.
The Sunday 2’s travelled to Beckenham on Bank Holiday Monday and bowled first.
David Tappenden and Dennis Ellimootttill found some early season form with a pair of wickets each with Ian Gauld also snaffling 1 as Beckenham put on 235-5 in their 40 overs.
Sadly, the batsmen struggled for form – Colin Couldrey (44), Robert Taylor (24) and Sam Millard (20) offered resistance, but a good home side saw them bowl Hayes all out for 130 in the 33rd over.
So, cricket has started and league action returns on Saturday as the 1st XI look to defend the Premier League title, with Sevenoaks Vine the visitors.
