Winchmore Hill sneak home by three wickets

Winchmore Hill CC is a club which always gives us a warm welcome. It's one of the few fixtures where both Match Managers and the great-grandson of the donor of the ground get together for a planning lunch ahead of the game itself.

LNZ's side included a debut for Rowan Gillespie (Gerard's workmate) and Nottman Caps for both Ryan Harper and Jon Gard, back from Sydney on holiday and fully-engaged in the cricket from the off! Tom Gibson and Pete Simmons were back out for the first time in a couple of seasons too.

WHCC won the toss and chose to field. Andrew Milward and Chairman Josh put on 43 for the first wicket, with healthy contributions from Sam Harding (43), Jon G (46) Pete S and Rowan G (24 ea) Partnership starts weren't quite converted with 3 run-outs disrupting things. LNZ finished on 218-11 (gentlemen's rules) in the 35th over of 35.

Brooksy and Rowan opened the bowling, Brooksy being particularly unlucky to clean-bowl one of the openers off a no-ball, and then to ping his hamstring. Vance broke the opening partnership at 73 with WHCC's dangerous looking opener caught in the deep by Gerard. Pete Simmons then collected WHCC's skipper Neil Hurst's wicket in his all-the-way-through spell of 7, before Gerard took 2 in his first over - a good catch by Tom at keeper, then an LBW 2 balls later, with a grassed chance off the ball in between when WHCC's L(eigh?) 'The Beast' Stoughton was on 15! More about him shortly.

The "runs needed vs balls available" maths was very definitely in LNZ's favour until The Beast caned 31 off two of Gerard's overs. Some respite followed when he was caught by Brooksy on the boundary. 75 off 49 balls was the difference. WHCC's Kiwi Morgan Prior got them home with 9 balls to spare and with 3 wickets in hand. Note - Morgan was nearly back in the shed after an amazing one handed leap from Jon Gard almost stuck in his hand. It would have been a clear contender for catch of the season!

Fellow New Zealander Gary Paulin put a few beers over the bar (thank you Gary) and The Paulin Cup for matches between the two clubs was inaugurated too. It was a solid all-round performance, with some very athletic fielding from all points of the cricket compass. We look forward to the 2020 fixture.

LNZCC - 218-11 in 35; WHCC 219-7 in the 34th