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And so the league season started.
On a beautiful, sunny day skipper Goff won the toss and decided to let the oppo have first use of another cracking wicket at Inholms Lane.
Morgs got the new cherry down the slope, he bowled beautifully during the afternoon returning figures of 2-47 that didn't do him justice.
The skipper pounded up the slope and nearly got an early breakthrough but a spillage in the slips denied him. Eventually the first league victim was secured by a fine catch by the Chairman at wide 1st slip (a position - not the ever growing girth of his midriff!). With the fielding being pretty good for the first game the run rate was held in check all afternoon. The skipper rung the changes and brought Nobby the Bobby downhill and the Chairman up. A fierce return catch to the Chairman slipped through his grasp fortunately running out the oppo's skipper who was backing up a fair distance. Wickets tumbled in the middle order as another run out by the Chairman was effected and good catches were being held, especially by the skipper and the new boy (Darren) in the deep. 179 all out.

North Holmwood's reply started well until Darren ran himself out after a good piece of fielding off an original miss field (sinner running on a miss field !!). The Chairman strode to the wicket to join wet weather Tyers . As a comment heard during the afternoon goes "cricket was definitely not the winner there" suggests, lots of strokes played were ugly but there again so was some of the bowling as 30+ wides help contributed to the final total! Rob went for 23 misjudging the line of one and was quickly followed by the skipper who played for non existent turn for a fineable duck! Guesty joined the fray still smarting over the fact young Ollie is now taller than him after a growth spurt during the off season. The pair pushed on until the Chairman fell to one too many slogs for a hard hit 84. Nobby and Guesty fell in quick succession for 15 and 8 respectively. Dave Welton and Morgs fell cheaply leaving Greg 'Petch' Lapere and Mike 'Wyo' Cleal to steer the the team home
by 2 wickets.

The evening celebrations started, luckily with a lovely female singer to help the ambiance, beers/strawpedos and a Dominos pizza put an end to a cracking days entertainment - long may it continue.

NORTH HOLMWOOD 180 for 8 beat OLD WOKING 179 all out