It was a perfect day for village cricket. Hot and sunny with a light breeze.
It was also a perfect day for Napton. The first time the team has beaten Barby and a record last-wicket partnership.

Barby won the toss and put the home team into bat.
Whilst Mike Nyren and Tom Hancock took to the field to start Napton's innings Captain Sam Sensecall bowled a few balls to batsmen in the nets. This resulted in him turning his ankle which swelled up immediately. It looked like he would be taking no further part in the game.

New-boy Tom Hancock (3rd game) revealed his batting prowess and dealt with all manner of balls including the leg-side bowling effectively. He had two valuable partnerships with Mike Nyren, (36) and then Joe Alsop (62) taking Napton to a respectable 98-2 after 18 overs.
James Cooke displayed his no-nonsense style of batting and kept the score ticking along.
After 27 overs Napton were well set at 147-6. Stuart Alsop was at the wicket looking to take the score on.
However, Stuart was very careless in the 28th and he lost three partners. 9 wickets gone.

Cometh the hour etc etc Sam Sensecall bound his ankle with numerous layers of tape and took to the field.
If he could survive a couple of overs it would give the kettles time to boil for the unexpected early Tea !!

Hop-along Sam did much more than survive. Stuart and Sam frustrated the bowlers and were still there well into the 40th over and added a club record last-wicket partnership of 69 runs. 216 all-out

Although Napton had a very welcome 216 runs as a cushion, past experience of Barby's batting line-up left the home team in no doubt that their bowling needed to be tight and controlled.

Stuart and Mike Eadon set about their task faultlessly and both of the visitors openers had been replaced by the third over. One clean-bowled by Stuart and the other by Mike neatly taken behind by Graham Line.
Barby 15-2.
This steady success continued. Stuart, although off a shorter run than the 'man of old', has lost none of the line, length and accuracy that over the years has consistently separated the little wooden things from the long wooden things. In this match he produced a two-wicket maiden.
Sam, full of pain-numbing adrenalin produced by his innings, even got amongst the wicket-takers.
John Eadon and Chris Gooderham also found success with the ball.
The bowling attack was superbly assisted by the fielders who gave credence to that old adage, 'catches win matches'. Six in all taken by Graham, James, Tom, Sam and a couple for Stuart.
Graham kept superbly without conceding a bye. Not unusual for Graham; he managed it twice last May !!
Barby only just managed half of their allocated overs and were all out in 20.2 overs for 74 runs.

An excellent result for Napton and for injured Sam, a real Captain's game leading from the front.
It is understood he is now on holiday for two weeks so hopefully he will be fully recovered on his return.

This report cannot be complete without reference to a few off-the-pitch matters.
The cricket tea, complete with oodles of traditional ingredients, was tickety-boo.
The post-match meal supplied by Barry at The Victory Club was splendid and devoured with much gusto.
Napton CC has promoted itself as a family friendly club where players and families can enjoy a pleasant afternoon. The large number of children and families created an atmosphere at this match that suggests the club has been successful in this endeavour.

A new initiative is building on this. Mike Nyren, Chris Gooderham, Tom Hancock and Rob Pelter have started a Junior Cricket Academy for club members children and by all accounts this is already becoming a success. Well done.