Hartlepool bowlers blast through Castle

Castle were the visitors to Park Drive and were put into bat.

They got off to a good start with a 40-run partnership between Simon Tennant and Karl Turner which was broken by good bowling from Chris Harrison.

This saw wickets start to tumble as they slumped to 71-6 with Harrison and Jonathan Rickard ripping the batting apart.

Harrison finished with 5-54 and Jonathan Rickard 3-16 as the visitors were dismissed for 106 inside 37 overs.

Hartlepool’s batting got off to a shaky start when opening batsman Neil Coverdale snicked off fourth ball to Josh Bousfield and was caught behind.

However, John Watson and Jonathan Rickard kept up their impressive form, with runs coming at a very quick rate.

Hartlepool won the game by nine wickets with John Watson and Jonathan Rickard having a 107-run partnership.

Watson scored his first 50 of the season, coming from 77 balls eith eight fours.

Rickard finished the game 45 not out, hitting six fours and one six and only facing 59 balls as Hartlepool got over the line in the 24 overs to pick upo the full 20 points.