While the captains tossed a coin, debate raged among the players not about whether it was better to bat or bowl first (that was apparent: bowl), but whether it was a two or three jumper kind of day. The toss was lost and the Plough got ready to bat, though through no fault of the skipper. The team were reliably informed it was very much due to the coin used: and antique fifty pence piece, but one which has never one a toss in extensive existence.

While the match may be something of a local derby, it certainly did not feel that way. There was. A general atmosphere of cordiality and the opposition were, by all accounts, thoroughly pleasant to play with and chat to. With that in mind, the openers Cosgrove and Smith took to their respective creases. Despite the green wicket, both bats got off the mark and looked to be settling.

Unfortunately, it was not to last. Older than the phrase Cave Idus Martias is, I believe, Cavete the bowler in black tracksuit bottoms. Smith lost his wicket to a devilish delivery and in came Woodcock to steady the ship.

Both Cossy and Woodcock started their innings with a boundary. Cosgrove hit some very classy cuts for four - shades of Joe Root in there. Nevertheless, sensible cricket was being played, the strike turned over and an gargantuan innings being built. With the scoreboard ticking over and fifty comfortable up, Cosgrove succumbed to the openers fate. Having done the hard work, seen off the new ball and looking to accelerate he sent one slightly higher than on might have desired and was sent back to the pavillion by what was a very good take.

In, then, came Aaron Andrews, like Woodcock, a recruit from Towers and first name in the ploughmans' phone book (a phrase coined by and shamelessly stolen from Cosgrove). What followed was a pleasure to watch from behind the scorebook, not only because it ensured very few fall of wickets to be filled out, but also because it meant I had no need to put on my pads. It was also some pretty classy cricket to see.

Andrews and Woodcock both played an impeccable innings. I don't feel like I can quite do justice in writing to the display of absolute cricketing dominance we were beholden to with Woodcock and Andrews on the field. There were too many huge shots to lost them all, so I will recall a couple of my personal favourites, amongst the red-inkers. The first that springs to mind is a tremendous six hit past long-on which was so perfectly timed and muddled that despite the humungous distance and power on the top, there was no audible connection for those on the boundary rope. The other that stood out was a beautiful flick on leg side by Andrews - a shit that looked so elegant and effortless that it required no movement of the feet. The ball was simply dismissed away, as if it were an annoying insect.

The scorecard properly captures the extent of this partnership, but suffice it say by the time both wickets fell in relatively quick succession to catches in the field, the Plough were feeling pretty relaxed. The remaining bats came in in the last few overs with one thing on their mind: quick runs. With Mead showing prudence and restraint, anchoring the middle order, we had a revolving door at the crease. The formula was such: come in, hit boundaries, get caught. Goel and AGW did just that, both of whom were hovering round the 100 strike rate, understanding exactly what the end of the innings needed and providing just that.

All in all, and not a small part thanks to the Woodcock-Andrews partnership, the plough went to tea with a very defendable 253.

The GCSE English literature students favourite device, pathetic fallacy, felt evident in the climate. As the Plough took to the field, skipper Grayzer could be heard remarking, 'is it me or is it getting warmer?' A sense of quiet optimism filled the Plough, as their openers, Chad and Lonsdale, began their spells. Both tall men with fast paced bowling, it as a strong start to the innings. Despite the lack of early wickets, the opening bats, one of whom looked particularly handy and threatening, soon fell behind the required rate.

The skipper had read the conditions and decided a change of tactic was in order. Into the attack came Sandeep Goel, who's name has always struck me as having a certain irony to it. When he's bowling, there is no need whatsoever for the field to Go(el San)deep. Maybe that's a bit of reach for a terrible pun. Nevertheless, the point is what followed was a masterclass in leg spin attack.

It's rare in English friendly cricket to find a leggie who can actually turn the ball, but I reckon Sandeep could probably turn it backwards if he tried. An combination of over and round the wicket bowling saw him cut through the top order in just three overs with some of the most economical bowling to boot. The figures speak for themselves (7-4), but what they don't capture is quite how impressive it was to watch on the day. Two wickets skittled and two caught behind, three of which were in the same over.

The caught behind wickets seem an apt segue into talking about the performance of our keeper - AGW. As always, the field resounded with cheers of encouragement and a fair bit of inane conversation thanks to the keeper - a crucial part of any fielding outfit. This constant jabber was matched by equally as constant gaps and exclamations of awe as AGW contorted his body and outstretched his limbs in stopping what could've been (and perhaps would've been, had 2023 Bairstow been behind the wickets) dozens of byes. Talk about body on the line. He need not have donned his whites - he could've just worn all the balls he took to various appendages in his heroic defence of the back boundary rope.

I feel I've given too few words to Sandeep's bowling - but I don't think there's much else to add. It was quick, targeted, clinical. Over before we or the oppo had quite registered how much damage had been inflicted, like a Liz Truss premiership (only Sandeep managed to push his economy even lower).

Then came Lonsdale's hard earned wicket. He had bowled right through his overs, which as an actual fast bowler, showed a level of cardio far beyond that which I possess. Having already skittled the stumps once, but been disallowed for a front foot no ball, Lonsdale got his man. Beautiful line, beautiful length were met with the beautiful sight of the bails on the ground.

With the top order in firmly broken, in came the skipper to deliver yet another punishing spell of frustratingly (for the bats) accurate seam. Defending such a high total meant the batsman really could not afford to slow down as much as Grayzer's attack forced them to and another breakthrough felt inevitable. It came in what is, perhaps, the best wicket a seamer can take - a beautiful knut beating the bat and sending off stump flying. It was the sort of wicket that epitomises the likes of Wood or Archer, not what you expect to see on an overcast Sunday in May. It was a well worked wicket and thoroughly deserved from skip.

In then came Yates, fresh and eager following a season's sojourn to leafy Warwickshire to see off the tail. Despite pre-match nerves, the atmosphere fostered by the Plough meant that there he managed to keep his extras tally below the teens (unlike the first match of his last playing season) and actually deliver some dot balls. The pace off loopy seam meant the oppo trying to accelerate offered catches in abundance and one stuck straight down the neck of Andrews at cover.

After another couple of last ball bowled from Yates, in came Chad to finish as strong as he started. A lovely first ball of the new spell was followed up by another, which was popped up to Yates at square leg to bring an end to the innings.

Special plaudit must also go to vice skip Rob Mead, who supported the skip in managing the field and ensuring that everyone was in the right place at the right time - a thoroughly unenviable job. As the Plough left the field cold but victorious, the resounding sentiment was that Grayzer had made the right call in reducing the overs to 35.

Match report from Dave Yates