With an agreed earlier start of 12:30, 11 Ploughmen descended onto the Hollies with a slow outfield and spongey-ish wicket after a winter a rainfall, captain CRS went off to the middle for the toss, which he won, deciding to bat first.

McGurn and Ean open the batting and set up a diligent & careful sand watching the ball well and keeping out some good balls. With a good foundation set, McGurn starts to tick the strike rate up with a few delicious boundaries and a 6 but then gets caught out for 23. Niraj in, Ean and Niraj reset the foundation but then Niraj gets a peach of a ball and shortly departs.

Next batsmen in Britto and again Ean and Britto hammer down to block out the good balls and punish the bad balls at the same time frustrate their bowling attack. Ean shortly departs after drinks having batted very well and in comes Alex GW. Alex GW tries to hit first ball for 4 but after some calming words from Britto settles down a bit, at this time Britto is going great guns and reaches his 50, well batted.

Reaching the 30th over, Alex GW gets stumped and in comes captain CRS. CRS gets his eye in quickly and with around 130 on the board and 10 over left with wickets in hand start smashing the ball around. Britto departs for a fantastic 68 and in comes Oscar de La Sawyer who goes straight after the bowling, smacking 4 and 6’s. CRS departs just before the 40 overs are up and and Oscar and Cash help tick the score to exactly 200. Great score on a tough slow outfield.

The ploughman take on the tea break quick refreshments and back onto outfield, with skippers instructions to keep energy high in the field and put the pressure on from early.

Opening bowlers Damon and CRS start brilliantly keeping it super tight and giving the batsmen no chance to get easy runs, brilliant line and length bowling. After the 6th Over Damon gets the first breakthrough as their batsmen plays onto the wicket peach of a ball. Next ball another brilliant delivery from Damon and the catch is taken by Keeper Alex GW, Damon on a a HATRICK Ball!! Its scenes. CRS brings the whole field in for Hatrick ball and the pressure on the new batsmen is insurmountable, fair play he keeps some more great bowling from Damon. But we now have them 13-2 and smelling blood.

CRS keeping it very tight from the other end then Greeney bowls some more magic to their left handed batsman who edges and caught behind by Alex GW. 20-3 now and we are amped feeling we had them on the ropes in more ways than Usyk had Fury. CRS takes himself off and brings on Dave Yates who bowls some nice flighted tempting balls and gets a wicket caught by Ritik in the field. 27-4 and not long after Damon gets his 4th wicket of the day again batsmen playing onto his wickets its magic stuff and we are delighted for Damon now on for a 5 fer.

Change bowler Ritik comes in and as the express train that he is Alex GW stands way back the lad bowls pure heat and starts his run up before the keeper is in position which he loves ?, Ritik bowls brilliantly changing from a 45 degree running angle to round the wicket to back over and powerful grunts that would make Sharapova proud during his deliveries. To be fair their number 7 bat did brilliantly to see out some of the bowling but finally and well-deserved Ritik gets two just before the drinks break and we have them 70-7 at drinks.

After drinks, Oscar De La Sawyer and Cash are now bowling and again its brilliant and tidy stuff but it did take quite a bit longer than we hoped to get the last 3 wickets lots of very near misses and Damon back on for his second spell was very unlucky not to get a 5 fer. Daddy wickets Cash picks up a couple and congrats on your amazing news, Oscar de la sawyer also get a very well deserved wicket. Last wicket of the day of Cash bowling and take for Alex GW who brought up a hatrick of catches.

To summarise, great day in the field for us with some great energy from all and gritty and intelligent batting to put on a very health score.

Well played all.

Match report from Alex GW