Comfortable midweek start in the RDCL Covid-2020!

By a quirk of the fixtures, the hastily-arranged return to midweek action in the dubiously-christened COVID-2020 division saw them face the same opponents from the previous Sunday, this time however at Fenley Field in Bilton. With the long outfield seemingly prepared for the start of the rugby season at Old Laurentians, the true value of shots was not necessarily rewarded for both sides with only four boundaries recorded throughout the whole match.

Undeterred, batting first having lost the toss, Willoughby nudged and scampered their way to a decent enough total, making it to exactly three figures off their 20 overs. They reached 100 for the loss of four wickets with opener Hassan Nawaz top scoring with 21, Nikesh Mistry making 18 not out and Dan Farrow 16; Nawaz and Farrow enjoying a second wicket partnership of 42. For the hosts Liam Clements (1 for 15) and Gareth Farmer (1 for 17) proved to be the most economical with the ball.

In reply, Network Rail were pegged back early on to 17 for 3 with Farrow taking three wickets in his opening three over spell, all wickets coming via catches gratefully received by James Goodwin. Adam Stage attempted to mount a recovery making an eventual top score of 13 but wickets fell at regular intervals for the hosts to thwart their hopes. Jake Quinney (2 for 18) and Karl Quinney (2 for 23) accounted for the middle order before Mistry (1 for 2) and Goodwin with two wickets in two balls mopped up the tail.

With 32 runs in extras proving to be their highest total, Network Rail were bowled out for 70 in the 17th over.