A full season of 50 over cricket which usually means the best team wins the league and Matt Griffiths and his squad certainly hope it will be them. Team selection done with Ben Spaven restored to the line-up late on. The toss was lost and Chester were inserted, batting on what looked to be a very good early season wicket with the sun shining down.

Bobby Evans and Matty Jones strolled to the crease to get things moving and that's exactly what they did. Bobby's record in second team cricket is second to none and those who've seen him at his best hope he can rekindle the form which saw him set the league records for highest score and runs for a season. Bobby drove crisply and punished anything short and Matty did likewise as the score rattled along to 75 before Matty(25) guided one to slip. Reg strolled out and there he stayed until 50 overs. He has become indespensible to the second team and number 3 looks to be the perfect slot for him. Runs continued to tick along then Bobby holed out for a fine 56.

Spavo is an excellent batsman, outstanding fielder but so far unlucky in 2s cricket - not today. The 100 run partnership with his old sparring partner Reg was characterised by quick running and errant balls being dispatched to the fence. In overs 35 and 36 they smashed 36 runs: Spavo two sixes over extra cover and Reg scooping the ball to the fine leg fence. "If you don't put a fielder there - I'll keep hitting it there!" so the Bowdon skipper did so and Reg just hit it elsewhere. Classy.

Spavo finally hit one too many and succumbed for a swashbuckling 63 leaving Reg and Griff to tick the total on to 240 after Tommy and fallen for a selfless duck in the pursuit of quick runs. Reg left unbeaten on 80. The glue to an excellent all round batting performance.
Wiggy and Brayno started things with the new ball. Bowdon's batting usually sound and capable of chasing so a good start needed and delivered. 2 for 2 with a wicket each was an excellent beginning before some good batting and tuned out bowler radars allowed Bowdon to get away with Mahaveden advancing to 60 in next to no time, even Super Reg couldn't stem the flow so the skipper turned to Fishy and Dan to quell the tide and take some poles. That's what they did and in 6 overs, 4 runs materialised for the loss of 2 wickets with Riley bowing Mahaveden then Fishy running out Graham for 37.

The batting almost visibly stopped as a succession players seemed intent on blocking the ball. 107 for 4 in the 21st became 134 for 7 in the 41st. 27 runs scored in 20 overs as Dan pocketed another 3 wickets. Brakes applied and a blockfest ensued. Griff tried everything and had Joe Killoran had the right sized shoes on, things could have been so different as his over of full toss leg spin didn't go to plan. 172 the final tally with 8 bowlers tried. 14 points plays 5 and a fair reflection of how the game went but blocking out from half way...really?
Dan's 4 for 22 from 14 the pick of the bowling but the batters take the plaudits in an excellent performance in which Joe Killoran didn't get DotD!

MotM - the man Reg Wyatt. Classy knock.
DotD - Matty Brayne for leaving his bowling boots at nets