This week saw Phil Woods 4s continue a run of games that sees us play every other team currently in the bottom half of the division.
If we stand any chance of staying in this division next season we have to collect as many points as possible from the next five weeks run of games.
We start that run of games against Mere Europa 1st XI who currently sit in eighth place.

Four changes to this weeks starting 11, incoming Ethan Evans, Jack Presswell, Dylan Sanderson and a first senior debut for 13-year-old Sihena Gamekankanamge.

Phil won the toss and elected to bat first.

A new opening partner for Bob Chapman, Sean Cooper stepping up to the plate, both playing well and the pair constructing a 50 run opening partnership.
With the score at 54 in the 14th over Bob (28) was bowled with one that swung, just clipping his pads before clattering into the stumps.

Phil next in with plenty of time to bat, taking his time and not playing any risky shots, couple of loose balls crunched to cow corner but when on 10 in the 19th over a mistimed shot caught the toe end of the bat and went straight to the fielder who gratefully accepted the catch. (77/2)

Phil trudging off in disbelief one way, brought a bouncing, energetic Dylan to the crease.
With the score on 85 in the 23rd over Sean (36) was caught, a great effort by Sean as he only found out about 10 minutes before the start of the innings that he was going to open this week.

Sihena was in at number 4, Phil‘s instruction was to take his time and enjoy his innings.
The bowling was not the best that we had faced this season but was mostly accurate and difficult to get away. Dylan was ticking over, not taking any risks and smashing the odd bad ball to the boundary.
After three bat changes, two drinks breaks and an ice pack applied to his neck Dylan reached 50. It had been slow progress and we were in the 39th over. Dylan was stumped when trying to add to his score, Ethan was next in, only 11 balls of the innings left but he made 7 before he fell to the same fate as Dylan on the last ball of the innings.

Sihena had indeed taken Phil‘s advice finishing not out on 19, a good start to his senior cricket career. Innings finished at 160/5.
Personally, I thought we were at least 40 runs short and should have accumulated 200+ against their bowling attack, we would have to bowl well to defend our 160.

Phil and Jack opened the bowling for Upton. The batsmen, like the Upton innings making slow progress but bang on the run rate at 44 without loss after 11 overs.

Clive Moore replaced Jack and it wasn’t long before the breakthrough was made, the opener chipping the ball straight to the ever reliable Phil.

Alexa Harrison replaced Phil and in her third over with the score on 47 she clean bowled Europa’s number three. A total look of confusion on his face as to how he had been bowled. Her next over brought another wicket, caught by an inspired Bob after receiving his cap for 500+ appearances during the tea break. The batsman walking off to the sound of Bob “ that’s the first one I’ve caught in two years”.
Bob informed us that this was his 198th catch for Upton, we look forward to celebrating the 200 up in 2029 then Bob !

The batsmen just didn’t know how to play Alexa’s bowling, her next over bringing another three wickets, a stumping, a hit wicket and another clean bowled.
Impressive from Alexa, who had bowled 6 overs and taken 5 wickets for only 10 runs causing Mere Europa to collapse from 46 without loss to 49/6.

First over after the drinks break saw a mixup in the running, the batsmen looking for a run that was never on, a wayward throw from Dylan acrobatically taken by Phil who stretched to reach the stumps, the run out completed.
In the 24th over Clive claimed his second wicket when the ball was top edged straight up, an easy catch for keeper Sean. (65/8)

With eight wickets down the batsman had taken the score onto 89, Phil tossed the ball to Shaun Marsden for his first bowl of the season. Three balls later the innings was complete, two wickets taken, courtesy of a catch from Ethan and the final batsmen chopping one onto his stumps.

Job done, Mere Europa all out for 90 and victory secured by 70 runs.
18 valuable points secured and putting us in striking distance of the teams ahead of us in the league.

Next week sees us at home again as we start the second half of the season with the visit of Maritime 3s.

Let’s keep it going, climb the league and get ourselves out of the relegation spots.