The weather before the game kept us all guessing if we would get a game at all. Thankfully the covers did their job and meant we could play. Now it was down to the toss and hopefully we could win and put them in on a soft slow wicket. Good plan but we lost so had to bat first. Aaron and Cam opened up, with instructions to take it very steady and play themselves in. This they did against some very accurate swing bowling, especially from Budden who was to go on and get Aaron for 8 just knicking the top of off. Cam was playing straight and starting to build his innings along with Brooky who was finding the spaces to push singles. Once the openers had been seen off, the other bowlers were not as good and further punishment was given out by both Brooky and Cam as the score built. Cam was starting to look very confident now and was particularly strong off his legs with many singles and two’s in this area, plus the occasional 4. Drinks came and went as the partnership continued past the 100, with Brooky racing to 50 with 3 x 4 in an over before he then chipped to cover to finish on 51. Cam must have known he was close and went to 50 with a lovely straight 4. The bat and helmet were raised as he took the applause (very impressive celebrations to mark this landmark).. A mini break to change the wicket keeper must have just broken the concentration as next ball was popped upto cover and Cam finished on 57. Well done Cam, knew you could do it and hopefully the first of many. The rest of the batting now had licence to press hard and Andy Walker was going along nicely before one cut back and bowled him on 17. Dom was not hanging around and started to build a partnership with Jack H who was also going well and scoring briskly before being ct on 15. Dom and I then pushed the score past 200 as Dom tried to run my legs off (still sore as I write). We ended with Dom on 40* and myself on 17* and the score at 216 for 5, far above what I thought possible given the conditions.

Tea was a cornucopia of delights loving prepared by Brooky and Myself. (name check to Tesco for my bit at least)

To the field and it was time to unleash the youngest attack in the league with Dale Godfrey and Andy Pead (Andy has grown so much and cut his hair short in the close season I did not recognise him!), who both bowled superbly. Andy was first to strike getting the opener on 9 to play early for Andy Walker to take a good catch low down at mid-w. Dale bowled a fast tight line and strung together 3 maidens in his initial spell of 6 overs for 6 runs! Whilst he was unlucky not to get a wicket, he was building pressure and enabling Andy P at the other end to take wickets. Andy’s 2nd wicket was a very difficult C&B as it was driven back with pace, followed up by an lbw in the same over, to end on 6-2-3-17. At this stage the oppo were 3-23 with 12 overs gone, so a long way behind the rate. Jack and Freddie took over and Jack was straight into the wickets bowling the other opener all ends up. Freddie bowled 3 maidens out of 4 overs to start, before Brooky took a lobbed catch at point, with Freddie ending on 6-3-1-13. Cam now joined his bruv and it seemed there was more to come from Cam as he started very straight. However, it was time for Brooky to show these youngsters that there is life in the old dog still as he dived full length to take a hard hit square drive just above the ground in both hands. What a catch!!!!! Cam then got 2 more wickets (c&b and bwld) as his bruv was bowling an excellent spell at the other end but not getting the rewards ending on 9-3-1-14. Some stone walling was now taking shape much to our frustration, so it was time for shear pace as I entered the fray to try and tease out a false shot, no matter what temptations I presented they did not bite. So it was back to Dale and Andy to mop up. Dale at last got a much deserved wicket ct behind by Dan, but that was the end of the wicket taking as they held out for a further 5 overs blocking everything. But we had won despite all this blocking.

Special thankyou to Lisa for scoring and Andy Pead’s mum for washing up and Nicola Brook for some tasty sandwiches.

A little note of caution; a stronger oppo could have punished us today as despite some good looking bowling figures, there were numerous occasions where short or wayward bowling should have been dispatched. This was coupled with at least 4 dropped catches, two of which were dollies. The strange thing about the catching is that we hung on to the hard chances. However, for next week against Merstham we will need to be much sharper in the field if we are to keep up the good run.

Another great win for Dorking IV and a special well done to Cam for his maiden 50 and Brooky for the catch of his life.

Coco