The 2s defeat St.Margaretsbury 3s.

Ware's 2nd team started the day in a bit of disarray, having lost their captain and star player Kevin Meakin to the 1st team. But thanks to a real team effort and leadership from new vice captain Dominic Compton, Ware ended the day celebrating a victory with a jug of beer, courtesy of Nick Griffin and his 5 wickets.

After deciding, as a team, to bat should we win the toss, Dom won the toss. Andrew Celano, playing his first game this season, opened the batting with Nick Griffin, also playing his first league game this year after recovering from injuries. Together they gave Ware a strong start, putting on 30 odd runs before Griffin was caught at mid-wicket by a bizarre one handed catch. The young fielder, moving the wrong way to his left, just stuck out his right arm and snatched the ball out of the air. Ware's middle order batsmen all contributed well, Lachlan Okoye especially, hitting a number of nice fours. Simon Green arrived at the ground right at the end of the innings to bat 11th as the tail enders started swinging the bat at every ball, Okoy being run out on the last ball as Si tried to get a second run from a shot that hit his foot and traveled less than two metres. All out for 148.
St.Margaretsbury innings was almost a thing of two halves. 4 or 5 adult batsmen who stayed in a while, and then a number of under 15s who struggled. Ware fielded excellently, stopping fours and singles, and taking every chance of a wicket, even taking wickets that shouldn't rightly have been wickets. Joel Pattisons caught and bowled having been smashed at Andy Celano fielding at silly mid-off and rebounding off him back towards Joel who dived forward to take the catch just before hit hit the ground. One of Nick Griffin's wickets was also a spectacular one handed diving catch by Aaron Taylor diving to his right and catching the ball at ground level, all off a ball that would have been a wide had the batsman left it. Other catches included a quick reaction slip catch by Celano and a catch at deep mid wicket by Green. All of Ware's bowlers bowled well, but Nick Griffin's 5 wickets was the stand out performance, with lots of variety, the batsmen never knew what kind of ball to expect next, his slower straight ball did the most damage. Simon Green took the most important wicket. St.Margaretsbury's top batsman was still in near the end and had over 50 runs, he was quite able to win it for the home side with only 30 or so runs needed with plenty of overs left, but Simon bowled him with a straight yorker. The final wicket was an easy run out, the two young batsmen confusing each others calls.

This was a really enjoyable match. The chaps at St.Margaretsbury were great, and are in exactly the same situation as we are, struggling to find players. Well done everyone, and also thanks to Simon Pattison who turned up to play and umpire despite being injured, just in case Si Green didn't arrive in time. Next match is away against top of the division, Datchworth III, the team Ware beat at home on the first day of the season.