After a week of heavy rain, most Eridge players were expecting the plug to be pulled on today's game, but with an Ellis tea in the offing, Groundsman Mark Thorpe was up at the crack of dawn to declare the damp wicket playable and with a few hours of cloud, a bit of wind and the odd half hour of sunshine, the surface was good enough to go at the delayed 2:30pm start time (delayed due to the ongoing Boot Sale at Eridge Park).

For the hosts, captain Minty was away so Ben Fasey stepped up as skipper/keeper and he immediately lost the toss and Eridge were predictably sent in to bat with the wicket looking decidedely dicey.

Dave and Ash were sent out to open and Ash soon found out why Dave insists on batting at #1 as he watched his partner get a strike-hogging single from the first two overs and then was cleaned up by Stronell with the unlucky 13th ball of the match. A first golden duck for Goldsmith (certainly for Eridge and possibly ever!).

His cousin Lee Thorpe came in at 3 and he played very cautiously to start with as Dave dominated the scoring. Lee's frustration was nearly his undoing but his aerial drive dropped safe and he was off the mark. The pair then accumulated steadily with Ellis playing some pleasing drives and Lee joined the party with a trio of boundaries of his own - his timing noticeably improving after changing from a seemingly broken club bat!

The pair added 69 in 14 overs until Lee tried to cut Kent but sliced a catch behind to depart for 18.

Mark Utting nearly fell 2nd ball as the young left-armer narrowly failed to hang on to a sharp return catch. In the next over, Dave went to his half-century but then got caught in two minds coming down the wicket to spinner O Curtis and he was bowled.

Tom Cary joing Sticky at the crease and after surviving a dropped chance at mid-wicket on zero, he went on to play a useful hand as Eridge built steadily towards a defendable total. Utting hit a big six which prompted resident chirper Poo to shout "didn't know you still had it in you!" but his fun ended on 20 when slicing off the leading edge to cover.

Jake Pooley had secured a promotion to number 6 and he and Cary ran themselves into the ground to add 43 in 8 overs in a stand that garnered just 2 boundaries. At one point, Cary hit 3 twos in a row and Jake looked like he might need gas and air!

Leg-spinner Barwick spun one through Jake's defences in the 33rd over which gave Captain Fasey a few balls to scramble 3 not out as Eridge rounded out their 35 overs on 160/5 - Cary unbeaten on 38.

The Ellis tea which had been hyped up beyond reasonable proportion all week (mainly because Dave didn't want to waste his efforts on a washed out game!) delivered on its promise with crab sandwiches, sausage rolls, lemon drizzle cake and a Bakewell Tart that Eridge's answer to Gregg Wallace - Tom Cary was purring over.

Soon enough it was time to field and Andy Tanner and Jake shared new ball duties. Both started a little too short on the sticky wicket and the ball sat up to be hit by Stronell for two boundaries, but Jake soon found his length, to bowl the opener with his 5th delivery.

Tanner nearly got a wicket thanks to a brilliant diving effort from Luke Chatfield at mid-wicket but he narrowly failed to hang on to a one-handed diving effort which certainly saved a boundary. The Scot was bowling better the longer his spell went on and he got a deserved wicket thanks to the flying Harry Thomas at extra cover. Things got worse in the next over as Jake bowled Barwick without score. This brought in danger-man Jacob Curtis who flayed Eridge at Capel last year. Jake thought he had his man when he chipped to Thomas but this time he spilled a catch far easier than the one he took earlier on.

But just 2 balls later, Jake got one to skid on past his bat and Jake had 3. In fairness it could have been 5 with Harry's drop and also a tough caught and bowled attempt which Jake narrowly failed to cling on to from the flashing blade of Walmsley.

At 46/4, with the opening bowlers bowled out, batting hero Ellis entered the attack and he struck with his 2nd ball as Walmsley tried to hit him out of Eridge but Ash Goldsmith was determined to contribute something to the match and he took a good low catch running in from long-on having lost the ball momentarily in the sun.

A rare Ellis wide followed but this seemed to lure new batter O Curtis into a false sense of security as the next ball was bang on the money and pegged back his off stump. "Have a blow there Dave" shouted the skipper!

Youngsters Chatfield and Leighton "The Orient Express" Thorpe came on for a bowl and both found a stready line and length. Luke struck with one of his lesser deliveries as Kent chipped a low full toss straight up and he swallowed up the caught and bowled chance. Capel 65/7 at that point after 19 overs.

Leighton thought he had his man but Jake dropped what for him was a relatively easy chance at square leg and then he was unlucky not to be awarded a stumping after some sharp work by Fasey.

Nonetheless, the Capel pair frustrated the hosts for 11 overs until finally the returning Utting found the outside edge of Booyse's bat and Lee Thorpe picked up one of the easiest catches ever at slip.

Harry Thomas then got the wicket that his 5-over burst deserved with Ellis taking a good running catch over his shoulder as cover and then Utitng ended proceedings as T Curtis chipped to mid-on where Goldsmith nearly made a mess of it, but eventually held on.

Eridge home by 43 runs. Thanks to Mark for preparing what in the end was a perfectly playable wicket. On to Oxted & Limpsfield next weekend...

Eridge Cricket Club

Eridge Cricket Club

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