1st Team vs Hartley Wintney CC, 1st XI

With the temperature rising and the first of many trips up the M3 under our belts, to one of the more picturesque grounds on the circuit, the skip had one job left to do. Win the toss. Which he failed, so we had a bowl.

Freddy bravely elected to bowl down the hill, and at the same time protected Robbie's half volleys from the 40 yard straight boundary.

When Robbie's first ball found the outside edge and raced to the 3rd man boundary it looked as though we could be in for a long afternoon.

But, while runs flowed for Hartley Witney, wickets also came quickly, with Robbie getting the first in the 3rd over of the game, caught by a relieved Deano in the gully, before Fred found his stride with 3 quick ones to leave them reeling .

When first change came and Miles opted for no fine leg, down one of the bigger faster slopes of the season, questions were raised. However just 10 balls, and 21 runs later he had his first victim when Daryl settled himself under a steepler. 

Steady wickets fell with another for Robbie and Miles while Fred got his 4th, before Ryan came into the attack and efficiently cleaned up the tail for a lovely little 2 wicket average booster.

162 on the board and a top effort in the field on a hot flat one, happy days! 

Tea was eaten, shade was found and the chase was on.

Recent master of the chase Stevo sadly found the edge early leaving the ever defensive pair of Regan and Munno to continue the fight. Never ones to back down, a flurry of boundaries came before the pair fell in quick succession, leaving skip and vice to steady the ship.

Lex then headed back to the clubhouse perplexed after missing a straight one in very un-lex like fashion. and we were in a spot of bother with more than 100 still to get. 

Eric and Deano, fresh to the crease, with Deano having just come back from a lengthy break from the game, and Eric recently returning from a lengthy break from actually seeing the ball, the game was in the balance.

With some of the opposition resorting to the sort of chat you might expect from school kids, it would have been easy to get distracted. Thankfully we needn't have worried, both showing their class and experience to cruise home, with Eric freeing has arms for a fluent 70 and Deano happily rotating the strike for an effortless 24.

Another cracking team effort and an early beer

for the green and golds!