On a beautiful sunny day the 3rds were looking to make it four in a row against Bagshot.

Captain Gibson lost the toss maintaining his 100% record this season, and the Bagshot skipper decided to put Sulhamstead into bat. A decision that had Gibson won he was tempted to do himself as the 3rds were fielding ‘on paper’ an extremely strong batting line up.

Bagshot had a young opener who had caused us issues in the same fixture last season, a year stronger and a yard quicker again he was causing the Suli batters issues, at the other end Bagshot had the wily older bowler, darting the ball back into the stumps.

Suli were in trouble and no matter now good the team looks on paper they need to perform on the field. We were in a world of trouble at 9 for 3 and still really struggling at 76 for 5 with half the overs gone. That was when Trev and Harrison came together, they batted beautifully playing the good balls down and attacking the wide balls. They broke Bagshot, to the point where the fielders were arguing with each other. They put on a 107 partnership, that helped Sulhamstead reach 200from their 40 overs. A fantastic achievement from where we were after the first 20 overs.

With something to bowl the team looked confident, Gibson and Wardle opened the bowling. The batters seemed content to play down Gibson and try to attack Wardle’s spin at the other end, but when they were attacking they were giving opportunities. The first wicket came from one of these attacking shots, as they picked out Jonny Hardaker who took an important catch in the deep. The next wicket to fall was down to our new wicket keeper Grant Meadows, who quick as a flash collected the spinning ball and whipped off the bails, with the batsman inches out of his crease. Rob bowled well finishing with 2 for 32 from his eight overs.

With these two wickets Sulhamstead had taken both of Bagshots batters, it was now just a case of could Suli take the other eight wickets. But this season we have Marthish, and yet again he ripped through the opposition, twice finding himself on a hattrick ball finishing with 4-35 from his eight overs. The rest of the wickets were spread out with Gibson, Lane, Hardaker and Stuart all picking up a single wicket.

This was a team victory; I seem to say this every week. Trev and H stepped up when we needed them with the bat and then as usual or bowler and fielders are too good for this division and we cause problems week in week out. Next week we go for five in a row against the team who are just behind us in the league and unbeaten this year.

Well done everyone

Man of the Match: Trevor Baldry