Lancashire v Essex Hawks
D40 Quest
Swinton Moorside Cricket Club
Sunday 26 May 2024
Lancashire: Tom Meskell, Adam Finneran, James Dixon, Jack Fisher, Tony Foster, Billy Gartside, Jack Hughes, D Kavanagh, Waqas Khan, Rory McIntyre, Aaron O’Neill.
Essex Hawks: Joe Moss, Asif Patel, James Ward, Conor Berry, Isaac Elles, Martyn Doe, Matthew Edwards, Benny Fryatt, Ben Aust, Alfie Jeeves, Jack Gair.
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Match Abandoned
Match Report
Words: Brian Jeeves
Image: Neil Robinson
Essex Hawks’ were left frustrated by the weather after producing a hugely impressive bowling and fielding performance against a strong Lancashire side at Swinton Moorside Cricket Club.
Essex looked set to collect a valuable D40 Quest victory before a torrential thunderstorm drew an early conclusion to proceedings in the North West.
While Alfie Jeeves and skipper Joe Moss took the plaudits after returning bowling figures of 5-1-21-4 and 4-3-1-3 respectively, it would be unfair not to mention the valuable contributions with the ball made by Ben Aust, Benny Fryatt, Isaac Elles, Conor Berry and Matthew Edwards as the home side were bowled out in thirty-two overs for 93. Tom Meskell top-scored for Lancs with 27.
Essex were lively and dominant in the field. Wicketkeeper, James Ward, oversaw the stumpings of Tyler Preece and Aaron O’Neill off the bowling of Jeeves while displaying a safe pair of hands to provide Berry with the wicket of McIntyre. Meanwhile, Gair’s pinpoint accuracy, with only one stump to aim at, saw the dangerous James Dixon dramatically run out.
To their credit, Lancashire refused to throw in the towel. Dixon had Asif Patel caught by Jack Fisher on the first ball of the Essex innings. However, at that point, the heavens opened, leaving the outfield saturated and the umpires with little option other than to abandon the match.
