On arriving at Winchmore Hill CC for the home fixture against Wheathampstead, the Horizontals were thrilled to learn that for the first time ever, they'd be playing on the 1st XI pitch. As they contemplated its verdant expanses, some sought minicab numbers, in case transport back from the midwicket boundary were to be required.
Skipper Willcock lost the toss and the Horizontals were invited to bowl first. Amit & Matt opened up against opponents who seemed keen to get a move on. Perhaps spooked by the grand surroundings, the Horizontal fielding began hesitantly with three chances going down in the first six overs (two very sharp, one very easy) and a particularly heinous misfield on the fine leg boundary that cost three runs. Eventually the bowlers wrested some semblance of control and Amit revenged himself for some spanking drives by Duboré (26) by swinging one back to take leg stump. 49-1 after seven overs. Matt joined in, having Kiek well held at slip by Chris, Bates pouched neatly by Ian Porton off a thin inside edge and then bowling Alexander for a duck. 60-4 and Wheathampstead were rocking although Robbins was looking ominous with a withering weight of stroke. Chris brought himself on at the Pavilion End with David replacing Matt at the road end, Scally tempted Robbins into chasing a wide one and his edge was superbly snaffled by Barry at slip. Chris won a generous LBW decision against another Robbins and the visitors were 86-6 and looking down the barrel. This was as good as it got for the home side however, as a frustrating seventh wicket partnership between the canny Evans and the hard-hitting Swann took the visitors to 163 despite the best efforts of Craig, Glenn and Matt Corton. Eventually Amit was recalled to do for Swann, Matt had Evans caught & bowled and after Chris had run out Griffiths from slip (the batsman stranded in mid pitch nervously awaiting an LBW decision), Craig wrapped the innings up by bowling Smith. Matt returned excellent figures of 8-3-22-4, Amit had 2-43 (two catches grassed) and Craig bowled economically for 7.2-2-18-1.

Chasing 175 to win in 40 overs, Richard and Tom strode out to open up for the home side. Richard's season got off to a flyer as he crunched the first bowl of the innings through point for four before leg glancing a second boundary in the over. Unfortunately this proved to be a false dawn, the run-rate slowing to a crawl as the bowlers asserted control and the home side had reached just 16 when Tom was caught at slip off Swann in the ninth over. This brought in Amit, who looked in good nick and immediately began to strike the ball well. The scoring rate picked up but Richard (20) was caught at mid off and then Amit (27) was LBW to the briskly bowling Robbins to leave the Horizontals struggling at 53-3, needing a further 122 from the final 20 overs. A ggod partnership of 51 between Glenn and Ian effected some sort of recovery but the required run-rate continued to climb upwards. After Glenn (18) had been bowled, Ian (36) soon followed LBW and the Horizontals were 116-5, still needing 59 from the last nine overs. Craig, Barry and Matt were unable to make any impression and David joined Chris at 135-9 with an unlikely 40 needed from 16 balls. Although 13 runs were quickly plundered, there was to be no fairytale as Duboré kept long-off and long-on right back and gave up only singles leaving 21 needed from the final over - Scally holing out to long-off as the home side closed on 155 all out, twenty runs adrift. The skipper finished 22 n.o. and may have rued not batting himself further up the order but it was a good game, in fine weather on a lovely pitch against sporting opponents. What more could you ask for?*

 

* "21 fewer extras" according to Barry, even though it was a rhetorical question.