With the 3rd team hierarchy on holiday it was left to Matt Linacre to captain the side. Having just about scraped together 11 players Clowne were quite ready to give Matlock a decent game. The wicket looked like it would play quite low and meaning there would be no availability for Spider to ring the ball past the batsmen’s ears, as the ball wouldn’t be getting up. Sloth made the toss and made a poor start by losing it and been put into bat, which was the unpreferred choice of the skipper.

Clowne opened up with Phil Bennett and Joe Kinsey. B. Owen opened the bowling for Matlock and was bowling a line and length, which was difficult for the batsmen to get away. His partner in crime E. Lowe was also hitting the spot well and was also making it difficult for Clowne. However Darcy and Joe stuck around and were intending to make a solid base to build upon. The opening pair looked in good touch, with Darcy playing a few nice shots down the ground and Joe supporting him well by knocking the ball into the gaps for 2’s and 3’s. The first bowling change brought R. Edson in and in his first over he got Joe (9) going for a drive but edging it and been caught successfully. This brought Andy ‘Pringle’ Walker to the crease. 2 overs later Darcy (13) fell to Edson again in a ball that didn’t quite bounce true to him. Parker Coat then entered the fray. He played a decent square cut for 2 runs but then was caught at cover the next delivery were the ball appeared to die on him. No time for excuses though and Coat departed for 3 and let the stand-in skipper come into the game. By this time the impressive Haslam had entered the attack and he was bowling very good line and length. Walker was looking in good touch though knocking the ball around comfortably. Sloth (8) hung around for 12 overs to steady the ship, but was bowled by E. Lander. Dave Lowton, who had answered the last minute call to play, came to the crease and wasted no time in scoring some runs. He made 3 from 2 balls before been bowled by Haslam who was looking very good. His son Matt came in but was struggling to get Haslam away and fell for 0. Stuart Houghton came in and made 2 before been caught by Haslam off the bowling of L. Molyneux trying a cover drive but instead unfortunately finding the top edge.. Mark Osbourne then came out, and while these wickets had been falling the Pringle was still playing some good shots and causing the bowlers problems. Walker and Osbourne played quite aggressive cricket during the last 7 overs and never looked in much trouble. Osbourne finished up on 14 not out, but the innings truly belonged to the impressive Andy Walker who fully deserved his 50 not out, getting himself a cap in the process. Some good all-round shots, and a delightful mixture of 4’s and a crunching 6 showed he meant business. Clowne finished on 123-7, which incidentally was what Stuart has predicted on about the 26th over! Pick of the bowling for Matlock was S. Haslam (2-6 off 10 overs) and R. Edson (3-37 off 9 overs).