The 2nd team welcomed Old Albanians to Widford this week. After winning the toss and putting them in they got off to a fast start. We did not pick up a wicket until the first bowling change when Kev and Henry replaced the opening pair of Immy and Ben. Henry getting two wickets in two balls but with 70 on the board already. Another for Henry and then 3 for Matt Cartwright but the runs still flowed. Ian Martin picked up a wicket and Michael Hicks bowled three tight overs but the reintroduction of Immy saw him pick up a well deserved wicket and Kev mopped up the two wickets with a bowled and a run out. Our innings started slowly with some tight bowling and three wickets bought Kev and Henry to the middle and gave us some hope but Henry fell just before drinks and Kev shortly after, saw us still need 80 add to win Matt and Ben K, when Matt was out and Ben ran out of partners with a good knock of 30 to give us some hope but we ran out of wickets 30 runs short despite some heroics from a one legged Scott trying to get us home. Good a effort, they were just better than us in the field today and that was the difference

The first team travelled to West Herts, driving over in increasingly heavy rain and thinking the hour in the car was going to be entirely wasted. However the rain soon stopped and a reduced 35 over a side game was agreed. Stand in captain Sam Tilbey won the toss and chose to bat. Some tight opening bowling made scoring difficult despite the small boundaries but Adam made 26 and then Dom scored an excellent 55 to give us a great platform. We lost some quick wickets in the middle to be 107 for 6 but Sam Compton, Liam and Dee hit 18 each, aided by some excellent running between the wickets by Jamie Don as we made it to 167 all out off the last ball of our 35 overs.

In reply Liam bowled well to pick up both the openers and Adam was unlucky to go wicketless. First change Sam Compton had the batsmen really struggling and two catches dropped before picking up a deserved wicket. At the other end Dee produced an excellent spell to keep the pressure on and the run rate climbing, taking 2 wickets for 19 in his 7 overs, including a catch of the season contender from Liam one handed at a wide slip position. As the pressure rose Sam Tilbey started picking up wickets at the other end with Dee and Simon taking catches and Ben Compton keeping his head under pressure for a run out when the batters pushed for a second run that wasn’t there. 14 was needed from the last over with two wickets left and when Sam bowled the number 9 batsman the equation was 10 from the last 2 balls with the number 11 batter facing. However he hit his first ball for 6 meaning a boundary off the last ball could win it for them. He swung hard at the last ball but it went straight to Dee who took the pressure catch to give us the win by 3 runs, Sam ending up with 4 wickets.