Champions !

With promotion to Div. 6 in the bag the next goal was to win our last game in style to finish at the top of Division 7. After, at times, a tense game both targets were achieved to round off a successful and very satisfying season.

As the Indian summer returned to Outwood, the skipper won the toss and decided to bat, knowing he had a bowling attack which would make Bidborough work extremely hard to overtake whatever total we set. Paul Howard (20) and Nat Hiscocks (10) got us off to a good start but a 'stopping wicket' and some excellent bowling by Bidborough's young spinners put our young middle order under pressure and slowed progress. At 73 - 5 there was a lot of work to do. Luckily Keith was still at the wicket and he stayed to the end for a crucial 59 not out. A partnership of 42 with the skipper all-but secured the first batting point before an unbroken partnership of 55 with James Malley (18) took us to the competitive total of 170 - 6 on a slow wicket.

As predicted, the opening bowlers (Dru Tunstall and Marcus Malley ) gave nothing away and soon put Bidborough well behind the clock. They only took one wicket between them but each went for less than 2 an over in their 6 or 7 over spells. Ellis (1 for 18) bowled his inswing as tidily as ever and Keith only went for 14 off his 7 overs. Bidborough had been well and truly strangled but had only lost 2 wickets and the skipper wanted to end the game in style with a win. Enter Lucas Evans. Bowling into a low sun, Lucas had trouble knowing where the wicket was which made finding a good line and length extremely difficult. However, a change of ends and a switch to off-spin brought about a transformation. With Dru patrolling the boundary and catching anything in the air that moved (he must have snaffled a few wasps as well as his 4 catches) Lucas bagged a 5fer - 5 for 53 from 8 overs. Paul Howard took a couple at the end to bowl Bidborough out for 124 in the 35th over and end both the match and a very successful season with a good victory. Mission accomplished. Here beginneth a steady rise up through the KCVL Divisions. Who knows where it will all end?