First time against Nacton ( I think) for the club, on a dry and breezy day with total cloud cover for the better part of the day. We arrived with 11 players (hooray), including recently returned George Cranfield from Uni. We lost the toss and Nacton elected to bat (we would have bowled anyway). Quick inroads were made by openers Mason and Oakley, with the home team stumbling to 44 for 3 after 10 overs. But an 89 run partnership from Glading and Brunt made a possible total of well over 200 look inevitable. At just the right moment Toby Philips struck with two important wickets, both identically out caught at cover by Oakley (first catches in 20 years apparently), and Nacton stumbled again with three tail end wickets falling to Mason. We could not manage to take the last wicket and Nacton finished on 176 for 9, an eminently gettable target.
After tea the top order struggled and some highly accurate bowling by Nacton skipper Brunt ( 7 overs, 3 wickets, only a single wide), ably backed up by Fincham saw a top order collapse to 11 for 4. A patient recovery, and a partnership of 50 from Brooker (17) and Cranfield (36) came to a quick end with two wickets falling in 3 balls leaving Colne strugling once again on 61-6. Lee Parish made a brisk 16 before spanking the ball down the throat of mid-off, leaving Colne on 92 -9. Ben Mason and Oakers connected to a few, bringing a batting point, but Ben Mason replicated Lee’s earlier shot and we were all out for 113 with 7 overs still to be bowled.
Batting practise needed (nets are on Thursdays ☺)
Nacton 20 points, Earls Colne 5 points
Next Saturday we take on Melton St Audrey’s, at home. The Sunday side take on Stebbing, also at home.