Comfortable win after slow start

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Willoughby 1st team must have, for a minute, wondered if it was the right decision after an excellent opening spell by the visitors bowlers. Willoughby lost 2 wickets in the first over and another in the second over, leaving the home team on 10-3. A slight steadying of the ship was brought about by Scott Cluley but he was then bowled for 16 leaving Willoughby on 36-5. This brought some youth and experience to the middle in the form of Anshul Satsangi and Matt Goss who put on an excellent 62 for the next wicket, before Matt was caught out on 26. Mark Fell came to the crease and scored a quickfire 15 and with Anshul making a well needed 35 not out, meant Willoughby finished on 132-7, a decent total to defend.
Willoughby got off to a flying start with a Matt Goss run out in the first over. Zed Khan then took another wicket after the opener played onto his stumps leaving the visitors on 17-2. A partnership was beginning to grow until a Callum Hanks slow bouncer was excellently caught by Ceri Roberts. Another run out followed with a direct hit by Callum with the score then at 49-4. Wickets then began to fall with some lovely bowling by Ben Hollis and Mark Fell, even after Ben having the ball being hit back towards him, hitting the non strikers helmet and ricocheting into his face! Mark took 3-17 and Ben 2-9 in a spell that put Willoughby back in charge. Matty Nobes then came on for his first Willoughby bowl and after extracting some turn from the surface, picked up the last wicket, resulting in a 57 run victory which was not looking likely earlier in the evening.
An excellent all round team performance keeps Willoughby's title hopes alive, but cricket was the winner.