Sunday 29th April - Home v Old Haberdashers

They batted first. The opener, Deepak was dropped twice before he'd made double figures; he ended up with 76. Great.
Amit & Scally restricted them to 41 from the first 12 overs. Thereafter the wheels came off and they proceeded at 7 an over to record 231-7 declared from 36 overs.
We were never in the hunt against a disciplined bowling attack that offered little loose to hit. Opening batsmen Phil & Arif put on 60 for the first wicket but this stand took 24 overs and only 15 overs remained thereafter. None of the subsequent batsmen were able to do any better and we settled for a draw at 133-5 with Amit and Simon unbeaten. Outplayed basically.

Notable for our biggest crowd for some years - hence Walthamstock!
We batted first and struggled early doors, collapsing to 45-5 with none of the top five making double figures. Glenn and Matt rescued the innings with a boundary laden partnership of 74 although both were to fall just short of their half centuries and were subsequently fined for jug avoidance. No-one else made double figures and we were all out for 158.
Scally & Webster bowled the first 8 overs for 26 runs (Webster got some tap) but catches were again being dropped all around the ground. This week, Grace's top scorer, Seckinger was put down three times on his way to 58. Smashing.
Craig took a couple of wickets including the perceived dangerman, Mendes, stumped by Chris Wilcock for only 30 - some 140 fewer than the last time we bowled to him. The incompetent fielding performance meant that Graces were always cruising and they duly won by five wickets. Good game, mind.
We've still never beaten them, next opportunity: 19th August.

Sunday 10th June - Home v West XI (or W11)

They only had nine men so the pressure was on the visitors' skipper, Chris Wright to bat responsibly. He responded superbly, hitting a near chanceless 115 as the visitors piled up 210. Keeping wicket, Ali G took two catches off Amit and Craig bagged three wickets.
Our reply started brightly as the openers made the most of the gaps in the field but both Richard and Ali were both back in the hutch by the end of the sixth over. Amit and Chris Wilcock put on 69 for the third wicket in just twelve overs, before the former was bowled for an entertaining 45 (5x4). Stiven then kept Chris company, hitting 32 in a ten over partnership of 60. Following a run-a-ball cameo from Matt who amassed four, Glenn joined Chris in the third 50+ partnership of the innings. We won by five wickets (211-5 from 37.1 overs) with Chris finishing on 74 not out (1x6, 10x4). Well batted.
West XI take great credit for an outstanding fielding performance. Despite being two men short in warm conditions, they never wilted and fought hard all the way to the close.
Hugely enjoyable day's cricket (unless you were bowling to either Chris) and admirably sporting of Chris Wright to buy jugs in the bar. Shame about our embittered and still wicketless-for-the-season 'opening' bowler churlishly pointing out that he'd had him "plumb LBW on 6". You can take the boy out of Yorkshire...