Earls Colne vs. Great Horksley 30th June
A baking hot day welcomed us as we took on 2nd placed Great Horksley at Green Farm Meadow, we hoped to end our streak of not having won a game at home, on a pitch that looked good for batting, but with recent rain it would give a bit of help to the bowlers.
Daryl won the toss and chose to bat, with Archie being late after having a night gallivanting around London, it was up to Smith & Sleeman (sounds like an undertakers!) to see off the new ball. Smith sadly perished for just 8 chasing one that he should have left, Henry Holme at No 3 guided a couple of boundaries through slip before being bowled, and after 14 overs we were 42 for 2. Will Dunn joined Daryl at the crease and the two continued to bat well against a testing Horksley attack, Daryl (who had batted with excellent composure and was starting to really motor) was caught on the cow corner boundary for 45. At 88 for 3, after 26 overs we were well positioned, but knew that a couple of quick wickets could see us in real trouble. David Birks joined Will at the crease and both set about the change bowlers with relish, Will hitting consecutive sixes on his way to a 2nd fifty of the cricket week, and David supporting him with some excellent strokes on his way to 35 (lets hope we don’t wait another 2 years for him to play again!). Both were dismissed in the closing overs as we looked to accelerate. Archie continued his good form with 25 not out and put on 25 for the 9th wicket with Jon Brewer to take us up to 213 for 7 at the end of 45 overs. A good score we felt, and finally we had a score, which we felt we could defend.
After tea the temperature seemed to have increased ten fold as we took to the field. We needed to make early inroads, Horksley had set and chased some decent targets down this season, so it was with relief that we made a good start, reducing Horksley to 40-4 off 14 overs, Joe and Ben with a wicket each and debutant Darren Hawkins taking two wickets with some tidy spin bowling. However a partnership between the number 3 Krishnan and number 6 Nanda, and with a wicket not looking likely, Horksley were well placed after 30 overs at 122-4, requiring 92 off the last 15 overs with two well set batsman was not beyond reach. After some pretty average fielding, dropped catches and some good batting, Daryl returned to Ben and Joe who had six overs left between them, it had the desired effect as Joe removed Nanda for 32 and then next ball removed Amin LBW, from 122-4, Horksley slipped to 140-8, it was left to Darren Hawkins to return and wrap up the tail to finish with match figures of 8.5-1-33-4, a great debut!
Great Horksley all out for 144. Earls Colne win by 69 runs.
Earls Colne 20 points Great Horksley 5 points
This week we take on Copford in the plate Quarter Final.