Seconds on a charge
Our seconds are mounting a late challenge for promotion. We are currently 5th, just 27 points behind third place Masseys, who we beat last week.
On Saturday we won the toss and inserted the opposition on a damp wicket. Luke Duggins made the early breakthrough, getting their opener caught at short mid wicket. Opportunities to get amongst their middle order were squandered with a total of seven catches going down before the hundred came up. At 100-3 Pak Shaheen had a solid base but at last we started to take our chances. Steady got the next two wickets, Simon Rose a run out and finally four wickets for Chris Darling to polish them off. A modest target of 148 to win represented pretty good work, but it could have been a lot less, and certainly was no gimme with the wicket offering plenty of help to the bowlers.
Not for the first time this season Michael Gales proved the anchor to our innings, batting for over two hours for 59 not out off 118 balls. At the other end partners came and went with alarming regularity. Joe Simms had one rear off a length, then Chris Cook was caught behind first ball. JK joined the procession for 2 leaving us 18-3. Duncan Moore, who had dislocated a finger when dropping one of our catches, got the score to 60 before being bowled off an inside edge, but again disasters come in threes and he was quickly followed by DaveHowells and Paul Darling. Second favourites now at 74-6, with the need for a partnership getting urgent. Tim came in at 8, saw off their troublesome opening bowler, and started to edge us towards the target. Some gritty determination was rewarded in the end when we reached the target in the 44th over.