1sts keep the run going!

Another league match, another lost toss for Ben Hollis, the Willoughby skipper, making it 11 straight. Podington decided to bat first on what looked an interesting pitch. The opening bowlers had youth and experience on their side with Dan Farrow and Mark Fell keeping the home team quiet in the early stages. The pressure was building and that caused the first wicket to fall to an outstanding left handed catch in the slips by Ben Hollis off the bowling of Felly, taking his 50th wicket of the season in all games. This wicket soon led to more, with Felly picking up all of the first 4 batsmen, in a lovely spell of swing bowling. First change bowlers of Callum Hanks and Ben Hollis carried on the fine bowling, and it was the turn of the skipper to pick up the next wicket, with an excellent catch in the covers from the youngster Matt 'database' Cartridge making his 1st team debut. At this stage the home team were at 66-5 from 22 overs. After drinks Podington rallied and runs started to slowly come. Further changes in the bowling brought on Chait 'Murali' Kurusala and Nikesh Mistry, with Nik going through all his range, not bowling the same ball twice. Chait was able to make further breakthroughs and picked up 2 valuable wickets. Dan and Ben then picked up another wicket each which meant that the home team had reached a reasonable target of 155 - 9. Pick of the bowling was Mark Fell taking 4 - 20. Chait finished with figures of 2 - 13, Ben with 2 - 23 and Dan 1 - 26.

In reply Willoughby's innings seem to be matching the home teams in the early stages, losing a few early wickets. Scott Cluley for 6, Chait for 10, Hassan Nawaz for 4, the unfortunate Matt Cartridge for 0 and the skipper Ben for 7, leaving the visitors on 38-5. The experienced duo of Ashley Rayner and Matt 'peri peri' Goss then steadied the ship, putting on an excellent 75 run partnership before Matt was run out on 30. Mark Fell joined the lord in the middle and the runs continued to flow, with Ash reaching his half century with ease. A few more boundaries saw the visitors to victory with a couple of overs to spare, leaving Ash 63 not out, just 25 short of his 1000 runs for the season, in all games and Mark 21 not out.

Another victory means that it is now 4 in a row, and with 2 league games coming up this weekend, all is to play for in the league.