So a new season arrives and last years League winners were pitched away at Hockerill for their first League game of the new campaign .
The sun was out but it was pretty cold , that said we were all happy to be out there. Matching won the toss and took a gamble on fielding first on a deck that normally produces runs .
James Roos and Jason Green opened the bowling , it being Roos’ debut as an opener in the first team. Roos took a few overs to settle but Green was on fire from the start moving the ball around nicely. The prolific Rob Sanders and Bateman opened for Hockerill and they got off to a decent start before the latter was caught at silly mid off by Jon Taylor off the bowling of Green .
After being hit around a little in his first few overs Roos settled in to a nice line and length . Green meanwhile removed Alex Francis first ball lbw and then soon removed Brad Francis his brother for just 1. Adam Commercial was then caught behind off Roos and Hockerill were struggling .
Green then bowled Sanders for 22 and at 55-5 Hockerill looked in terrible trouble . Paul Dawson and Simon Hartnell then bowled in tandem and Dawson was very tight .
The Green dropped 7 catches and could have put the game to bed , but Anthony Challis and James Larke roughed it out and put on 80 before Challis was bowled by Green on his return . Hartnell then mopped up the tail and Hockerill were all out for an under par 164 .Challis making 52 and Larke 32. Green took 5-20 and Hartnell 4-36.
Matching opened up with Graeme Bowerman and James Malyon with the latter bowled by the useful Saed for 7. Green came to the wicket and scored 22 before being bowled by Foster . This wicket led to the monster that is Dan Sibley coming to the crease , however , he was given out lbw first ball that at best looked a bit harsh he looked very dejected as he walked off.
Simon Hartnell then walked to the wicket at 81 for 3 and the game at a potential turning point . He and Bowerman though batted superbly and put on an unbeaten 88 for the fourth wicket to bring home the Green by 7 wickets with 3 overs to spare . Hartnell ending on 38 not out and Bowerman a superb 93 not out .
MGCC 1st XI beat Hockerill 1st XI by 7 wickets
It was a really good game played in a great spirit yet competitive .
Hockerill have every chance of being right up there at the end of the season .