A positive mindset was prevalent in the first league game of the season, at home to Old Brentwoods, following last week's cup win over Billericay. The opposition won the toss and elected to bat, hoping that we would be chasing leather on the hottest day of the year (so far).
Both openers were removed by Man of the Match Jack Plom inside the first nine overs despite scoring at almost a run a ball. The next wicket to fall went to Lesiba who had the man caught out at mid-on by Big Al Rickenbach, trying to loosen the shackles. Big Al then helped himself to two wickets and with a run out by Tom Austin, we had them at 89-6 with the top six batsmen back in the pavilion. Jack Newton took a wicket in his first over just after the score had passed 100, so it was left to the bunnies to hit out or get out. Sensing that there was not much to come, Dave brought back Plommy to finish off the innings, which he duly did by taking 3 for 9 in 3.2 overs to give him our first five figure haul of the season (9.2-1-35-5), leaving Old Brentwoods all out for 153 and a solitary batting point.
The openers did the job they had to do, waiting patiently for the bad ball and not doing anything rash. Two pieces of luck removed them in the space of three balls, including a brilliant one handed flying catch in the slips to remove Ollie Ekers, putting us on 35-2 in the 10th over. Lesiba must have had a Eurovision party to go to as he only wanted to hit boundaries. Two four and two sixes in his 10 ball score of 21 saw him caught by the wicketkeeper. There then followed a partnership of 48 between Dave and Tom before the latter was out for 27. Plommy was in and out in a flash and it was left to Dave and Theo Robinson to see us home. Dave top scored with 43 despite being dropped THREE times, including a contender for Drop of the Season by the wicketkeeper!
Twelve moths ago, we started off in exactly the same fashion with a cup win and a league victory. Let's hope that where the similarities end with a good performance next week at home to Old Southendian.
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