4th XI - Team effort from everyone get the win

Without regular skipper Paul Das, the Legends travelled to West Haddon & Guilsborough who were mid-table after winning five games this year. In true Legends fashion, the stand-in skipper lost the toss and we were put into bat on a grassy wicket in cloudy conditions. It soon became apparent it was not an easy wicket to bat on but we were still disappointed when our esteemed Chairman was given out LBW when it appeared he had in fact hit the ball.... There were good partnerships between Viggy and James Martin who was then runout for 12 when looking well set. Viggy carried on and had laid a platform with a steady 21. Then followed an excellent partnership between Dylan (26) and Tom Hilton (36) of 42 which set us up for good late order hitting from Elliot and the returning Jack Sharif to enable us to finish on 135 from the 40 overs.

We felt confident of defending that score and the tone was set in the very first over with Mitchell taking a skier off Dylan Martin to earn a wicket maiden. Some good new ball bowling from Dylan and George Pitt meant both bowlers took wickets in their second overs with excellent support from the fielders. With the score at 49-3 it was time to take pace off the ball and Viggy and Elliot proceeded to put the squeeze on the batsmen with both bowling wicket maidens and further maidens in their spells. Elliot took 3-8 from his 7 overs and Viggy bowled 10 straight through to earn brilliant figures of 2-16.

Mitchell Boffin and Jack Sharif came on at the end to see us home with Mitch taking two wickets including an excellent catch from James Martin to win the game with the opposition out for 106 after a tense last wicket stand of 22.

The fielding and catching was superb with two catches for Mike MacDonnell in the slips, two for James Martin and further catches for Mitchell and Alan and some good work behind the stumps by Lee.

It was a great performance with everyone contributing and a game played in the right spirit.

Alan Pitt
Stand-in "winning" captain