Match Report by Malcolm Thomas

Team:-
Stuart Alsop
Mike Eadon (Vice-Captain)
Chris Gooderham (Captain)
Tim Perkin
Joe Alsop
Sam Sensecall
Gary Speller
Guy Tuck
Callum Tuck
Ted Mawby
Dave Cooper

The initial inspection of the pitch indicated that it would be a good batting track, which it proved to be; eventually !!

The afternoon also brought Tom face to face with the old fashioned scorers nemesis, a computer controlled electronic scoreboard. It was not long before the information displayed on said piece of equipment bore no resemblance to that recorded in the scorebook.

Skipper Gooderham won the toss and elected for Napton to bat.
To make use of that old soccer adage, this proved to be an innings of two halves for Napton. In the first 20 of their allocated 40 overs Napton did not take advantage of the track and achieved only 55 runs. Whereas the second half of the innings produced 121 runs. This included a useful partnership of 42 between Guy and Joe.
Joe finished with 54 not out. This included six 4’s and a 6.
Total 176-6.
J. Alsop 54, S. Sensecall 26, S. Alsop 24, T. Perkin 18, C. Gooderham 15.

On taking to the field, with Dave in his carpet slippers, Napton felt that 176 may be enough.
This proved not to be. This commentator can only resort to using his second old adage of the report, ‘catches win matches’.

With Barby on 39-3 in the 12th over Napton were on target for an early return to the Crown. However, by the 32nd over Barby had overtaken Napton’s 176. Barby’s top scorer netted 80 runs; but he had been dropped three times, twice early on in his innings !!
Barby won by 6 wickets.
S. Alsop 2-15 off 6 overs.
C. Gooderham 2-18 off 8 overs.