Southwick Wanderers Cricket Club

On a baking hot day at Plumpton College, the Three Bridges skipper decided to insert the Wanderers, apparently having more confidence in his bowling, than his batting, and that confidence was well founded. Luke Johnson, the skipper, opened with himself and sent Kim packing with the last ball of his first over, Kim playing all around a beautifully crafted swinging ball and getting bowled. Dave N then cracked a powerful cover drive all along the ground to cover, then tried a repeat performance next ball, but got caught by the same fielder, next to depart was Jamie who got also was deceived by Luke Johnson's swing (17/3). Richard James then came and went in a flash, caught at mid-wicket trying to nurdle the ball around the corner (19/4). Meanwhile at the other end, Simeon was diligently blocking the attack trying to ignore the mayhem at the other end, but eventually his concentration left him and he got bowled trying to force the ball to leg, Luke Johnson, again the tormentor (21/5). That brought Mark Scholfield and Jeremy Preston together with the hope of better things, but after a bright start, Jez was undone by an unplayable one that bounced sharply and he gloved it behind. To his immense credit, Jez 'walked', when lots of people probably wouldn't have (37-6).

If ever a skipper's innings was required, it was today, and Paul set the tone with 3 boundaries in his first four scoring shots and together with Mark they managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over nicely. Mark's careful and measured approach together with Paul's more belligerent approach helped to notch up what would prove to be the largest partnership of either innings worth 59. On 32, Mark then drove uppishly and was caught at mid-off (96-7). Enter Taylor Salerno, never a dull event, and his quirky style yielded 2 runs before getting bowled by Price (102/8). Next to go was the skipper, getting caught off a full toss to Boston's first ball, but Paul's 39 runs were priceless in the context of the match (102/9). This brought the wily fox, better known as Dave 'Max' Field to the wicket to join Luke Smith, and many thought the end of the innings was close at hand, but the pair were sensational, Dave bludgeoned his way to 2 not out, and Luke picked up 18 not out including three 4's and together they added a crucial partnership of 30 undefeated runs, to finish on 132 for 9 at tea. To lose 5 wickets for 21 runs inside the first 12 overs, and then to bat out 39 was a sterling effort by the Wanderers.

SOUTHWICK WANDERERS INNINGS

The general consensus at tea was that 132, whilst not a stack of runs, would be tough to beat. The Three Bridges openers were the same duo who opened their bowling, mssrs Johnson and Roe, but both were dismissed early by smart slip catches, firstly by Jamie, taking a superb reaction catch high above his head off Luke Smith, and the second was pouched by Richard James off the pace of Jamie. Jamie then proceeded to rearrange the No 3's woodwork and Taylor did likewise to their No 5 to leave Three Bridges reeling at 40/4. However the Three Bridge innings followed a similar path to the Wanderers one with their no 4 and 6 threatening to take the game away from the Wanderers. Up stepped the Skipper, fresh from his batting heroics, to then dismiss both batsmen, bowling one, and Dave Field taking a crucial catch off the other. The Lincoln/Field combination then also accounted for the Three Bridges 7 and 8, once again, the stumps were uprooted and the Wanderers were back in the hunt at 106/8. Still the result could go either way with the visitors only needing three an over, but removing the stubborn McMill and Dunnell was not proving easy as they were not really attempting to knock off the runs, and were seemingly content to play for the draw. Once again the skipper proved his worth by bringing on Richard James with his slow stuff. Sure enough Dunnell was tempted by one that Richard purposely dropped short, and Jeremy Preston took the high pressure catch. The number 11, Stevens then entered the fray, and Richard sent down a virtual carbon copy which Stevens hit it in the air towards Jamie who just about clung on to it to cap a memorable day all around.

So the Wanderers record this season of Played 4, Won 4 could not have been foretold, great work, lets keep it up!

THREE BRIDGES INNINGS