ODIHAM and Greywell cruised to an emphatic 10-wicket victory in the Guy Jewell Cup final over Hartley Wintney on Friday night at May's Bounty.

Openers Charlie Russell and man-of-the-match Peter Came were the Odiham batting heroes as they won the trophy for the first time since 1994. This was after a good display in the field had limited Hartley to 148-5.

Came struck an unbeaten 81, which included three sixes, two of which came in the last few balls of the game.

Russell (53) played an excellent supporting role and his straight four off the first ball of the 18th over sealed the win as Odiham reached 150 without loss.

The Odiham pair never looked like getting out, not giving up one chance to the Hartley fielders and pacing their innings to perfection, which was a treat to watch for the large crowd on a glorious evening.

Earlier in the match, Odiham skipper Paul Voisey won the toss and decided to field, and after two overs Hartley were 21-0 after Darren McBride hit 10 in the space of two balls.

The first ball of the next over saw a mistimed shot by Hartley captain Dave Almond (9), from which his opposite number Voisey snapped up the the catch off a Robert Walsh-Smith ball.

Another six from McBride kept the run rate ticking over, but he was out for 29 to the first ball of the eighth over, bowled by Came, caught behind by wicketkeeper John Frawley.

That continued to be the story of the Hartley innings as batsmen got into the twenties but no further.

Matt Evans (22) dispatched Adie Green for a six, but the bowler gained revenge in the same 11th over, getting him caught behind to make it 74-3.

Richard Norris (28) was the next man out, caught deep in the field by Walsh-Smith, bringing Jonty Rowe to the crease.

Rowe certainly increased the run rate as he top scored in the innings with 32, which included two sixes - one over the wall at the Fairfields School side and another into the bushes at the bottom of the ground.

This meant Hartley scored 27 off the last two overs to finish on 148-5, but it proved not to be enough.

A delighted Odiham captain Voisey said: "I felt we had done enough when we limited them to 148 but, of course, we still had to bat and full credit to the pair of them.

"I am really pleased to have won this trophy, coming so many years after the last time."

Man-of-the-match Came said: "I really enjoyed my innings, but how can you not do in these surroundings, on a beautiful evening and a lovely track to play on?"

A disappointed Hartley skipper Almond said: "We were shy in our batting as we really needed 170-plus on that wicket to be able to defend.

"We needed early wickets to stand a chance of winning.

"That did not happen, so full marks to them. They deserved the win."

Some consolation for Almond was that he picked up the Mary Jewell Cup for the top batsman in the rounds leading up to the final, with 207 from four innings.

The Guy Jewell Trophy for the most wickets before the final went to Odiham bowler Walsh-Smith, who had seven.

First published: Monday, July 18, 2005