Bottesford 1st XI v Southwell 1st XI

On what looked a hard and dry wicket Southwell won the toss and elected to bat first hoping to set a large total to defend and pick up their second win of the season. Newly relegated Bottesford took the field with high expectations for their first game of the season having not had a game last week.

The responsibility of a strong start was given to Tim Green and Charlie Ogrizovic who stepped out to begin the Southwell innings. A strong start is exactly what the two openers produced, capitalising on inconsistent Bottesford bowling (and a few lucky near misses) to take Southwell to 66 before the first wicket fell, Ogrivovic missing a straight one and departing for 23. Rainbow entered and looked strong but found himself back in the pavilion for 12 to allow Chris Miller to join Tim Green and reunite the old guard.

Miller and Green began to work the ball around as good running took advantage of an uneven outfield and Green brought up his 50 with a straight 4 and 6. This excellent partnership ended with Southwell on 169 and Miller thinking he had 50 swinging from the hip. McCarthy and the promoted Rimmer hit a range of big shots as Green finally departed for a brilliant 77. A flurry of wickets at the end of the innings left Southwell with a very respectable 250/9 from their alloted 48 overs, Alasdair Culpin picking up 5 for 41 from his 8 overs. With one of the largest totals the Southwell bowlers had had to defend in years they went into tea with growing confidence.

Max Collins and Dan Sprawson were once again thrown the new ball after their impressive display against Bramcote last week and it was Sprawson who struck the first blow to Bottesford's innings dismissing James Ward with a sharp catch in slip by Green. Collins was finding good pace and carry at the other end but Sprawson's excellent opening spell picked up the vital wickets of Nicholas Silverwood (caught Fryer) and then next ball captain Andy Norrish with a perfectly executed in-swinger to leave Bottesford 10/3.

Jake Fisher and Harry Webster began to rebuild the Bottesford innings and put on a strong 64 run partnership as Southwell's energy levels dropped in the humid outfield. Steve Wright was introduced and Webster fell to a good catch in the deep by Collins. A little bit of lose bowling from Southwell and strong hitting by Fisher gave Bottesford a chance but wickets kept on falling at the other end as Rimmer picked up 4 for 32 from his 11 overs. When Fisher finally fell for an excellent 91 (bowled Rimmer) Sprawson was brought back on to clean up the the Bottesford tail (ending with 4/42 from 9.5 overs) as Southwell restricted them to 155 all out.

A brilliant all round performance by Southwell setting a strong batting foundation to give the bowlers the freedom they may not have been used to. Another 20 points takes Southwell to joint top of the league with Kirkby Portland and a perfect start to the new season, well done to all involved!