Ton up for the Seconds

The 2nds notched up 100 points for the season in only their 5th game - the maximum possible. Our sheet covers had a lot to do with this as the pitch was bone dry whereas other grounds were unplayable. Our super-sopper also came into it's own during mopping up operations, quickly removing several gallons of water from the covers and surrounding areas. Chris Preen managed to get in some useful rugby training pushing it along!

A shortened game of 30 overs was agreed to try and ensure a completed game and play got under way at 2:15pm. Outwood were granted their wish of bowling first (even though Farningham won the toss) and Dru and Max proved a handful for the early batsmen with accurate spells at decent pace. Farningham were struggling at 30 - 5 but then counter-attacked to good effect despite continued tight bowling. Chris Scott (55) at no. 7 was the mainstay of their innings but disciplined bowling and good fielding never allowed Farningham to get away and they were eventually bowled out for 127 in the 29th over.

128 to win at little more than 4 an over looked odds-on with the pitch (as well as the openers) playing well. Lucas in particular continued to impress, James was his usual solid self, and Chris Preen also contributed a solid 33 when Lucas departed. Farningham had easily the best bowling attack we have come across this season and at 110 - 2 with only another 18 needed, the win looked deceptively comfortable. Perhaps that was the problem as 4 wickets fell in quick succession and there was a mad rush to get umpires off the field and pads on. However, we needn't have worried as Harry Crawford was unperturbed by Pleydell's (3 for 27) extreme lack of pace which had been the downfall of those before him. He plundered 3 boundaries from the 27th over to bring us victory with 3 overs to spare.

This was probably a better victory than we realised at the time. If Farningham manage to field the same team for the rest of the season we could find ourselves playing them again in an important promotion battle later in the season.