Warwick won the toss and chose to bat first on what was, by the standards of the summer so far, a disappointingly cloudy and cold day, against a rather weak KSW side, which only had 9 players.

Against some good opening bowling, Shannon got us off to a very good start with elegant shots all round the wicket. Krishnan supported him well until, having seen the opening bowlers off, he set off on a single without calling and failed to make it when rightly sent back. By then we had seen much the best of KSW’s bowling. Shannon failed fully to capitalise, picking out their best cricketer at mid-wicket to be out for 33. This left Watkin and Payton time to play themselves in first, which they did not really need in a partnership of 111 (Nelson strikes again)[i] off 37 balls. Payton hit four sixes, including a huge one well over the cricket nets, and reached 51* off 20 balls, though he was badly dropped on the way. Meanwhile Watkin, with two sixes in his first six balls, managed an even better strike-rate, getting to 52* of 18 balls. After they were retired, our two international players (!), Townsend (13) and Goodrem (7) fortunately prevented the run-rate from looking too embarassing as they were largely content to push singles. They were both bowled by KSW’s returning openers, giving Protherough the chance to play the most refined shot of the day, a lovely leg-glance for four. We closed on 205-6 off 20.

Faced with this very imposing total, KSW managed to keep ahead of the required rate for the first six overs, taking full advantage of the very bare outfield. But we had hugely more depth of bowling and batting, so once S. Thomas, after a rather expensive first over, had removed their opener with an absolute jaffa, KSW struggled. Their no 3, shaken by being hit on the shoulder by a Thomas bouncer, immediately slogged a skier off Perry (very well claimed by Watkin with the gloves). Protherough was frankly much too good for King’s middle order, bowling three, all hitting the top of off-stump, and finishing with 2-0-3-6. Meanwhile Mears had reached a very good fifty, and like our batters, retired, though in was not very long before he was allowed back in as the other KSW batters were bowled by our other off-spinners – Goodrem 1-3 from his single over, Owen 2-22 from 2.5. Our bowlers were very well supported by lots of brave fielding on an extremely hard and rough outfield, and very well captained by Sam Thomas. Credit also to Mr Stevens for operating the scoreboard!

WS – 205-6 (20 overs, Watkin 52*, Payton 51*)

KSW – 105 all out (13.5 overs, Protherough 3-6)

MVP – Watkin 52* off 18 balls and good wicket-keeping

Champagne moment – Payton’s massive six (with honourable mention to Protherough’s leg-glance and Thomas’ wicket)

Flat sugary drink moment – Stevens clean bowling someone off a front foot no-ball.

---

[i] More trivia, as this seems to be dropping out of (schoolboy) knowledge, but 111 (and multiples thereof) is meant to be an unlucky score for English cricketers. It is usually called Nelson, either because he fought three major naval battles, and won, won, won (though it’s hard to see why that’s unlucky); or because he lost one arm, one eye and his (one) life.