On paper a tough game for us with Wood always towards the top of the League. Wood won the toss and batted. They started like they meant business, with League Chair Tom Clarke and S.Rowe slapping the ball to all parts. However, a beauty from Tyler removed Clarke after a slower ball saw Rowe caught at long on. We expected things to ease a little. Charith and Aadui had other ideas and the scoring rate never fell below 5 an over. The introduction of Usman finally got the tide turning our way with some accurate left arm seam he removed both Charith and Aadui and at 126-4 after 26 we felt like we had a foothold in the game. From 143-3, Wood succumbed to 179 all out thanks to Usman, Jauhar and Ahsan skittling the tail in spectacular fashion. Usman 3-31(11) Jauhar 2-6(4) and Ahsan the tail destroyer, 3-4(2) !

We could be well pleased with that effort, because it looked like we would be chasing substantially more that the 179 posted.

Our reply could not have gotten off to a worst start. After 9 balls we were 0-2, then 24-3 before Naveed and Naseer got us into the chase with a sensible stand of 75 before Nas fell to the smallest leg spinner in the league for 30. Baulks joined Naveed who was in peerless form smashing anything loose to the boundary and on occasion into the allotments ! Our target reduced at a very rapid rate. Baulks happy to keep Naveed company to his 2nd hundred of the season off a mere 60 balls. A tremendous victory with 20 overs to spare, that lifts us up but not out of trouble, but it will certainly help !

Baulks