On a cool overcast day a slightly late Matching turned up at the Ford Sports ground near Newbury Park.
We were on the edge of a massive square with one boundary being nearly 90 yards from the strip …not something possible at the Green!
Matching won the toss again and elected to have a bowl on a nicely prepared if not a little dry strip. Jason Green and James Roos opened the bowling and Three Caps were determined to have a go. This led to the early removal of V. Gohil caught for 0 by Charlie Bass off Roos. Both bowlers plugged away and Green was very unlucky as a few edges were spilled off him. Roos had S.Vaja lbw and then the skipper J.Parmer caught behind for 16 …Roos ending with nice figures of 3-27 off his 9 overs.
Paul Dawson replaced Roos and Bass replaced Green. Scantlebury had a throw at the stumps which just missed, but Dawson volleyed it on to the stumps to run out the luckless and dangerous Chivag for 20. Dawson had a few drops too but managed to pick up a couple of wickets in a decent spell ending with 2-30 off his 10.
Simon Hartnell was brought in and was also tidy taking 2-34 and Simon Wasley took 1-17. In amongst this J.Gohil who was dropped at least twice batted really well for 73 and Primesh Vaja again was dropped at least twice made a nice 38 not out. Matching really must work on their fielding or it will cost them! Three Caps ended their innings on a respectable 186-9 off their allotted 45 overs.
Jack Scantlebury and Graeme Bowerman opened up for the Green and both were going nicely when Scantlebury had a ball pop on him and he hit it straight back to the bowler for a caught and bowled off Singh for 18. Jason Green, in fine form, then batted very nicely before a jug avoiding loft in to the outfield when on 48.
The powerful Dan Sibley then came to the wicket and made the boundary seemed 20 yards shorter as he pounded 7 boundaries in his brief stay finally ending up 43 not out. Bowerman continued his amazing form carrying his bat for 63 not out and Matching passed the 187 needed after 38.2 overs with just two wickets down. Singh 1-21 and S.Vaja 1-40 were the only wicket takers for Three Caps.
A very good win against a side that will do nicely in this league a really good bunch of lads and an enjoyable game. With Stansted losing away at local rivals Hockerill only Matching and Nazeing Common have 3 wins from the first 3 games in the top Division. Matching are at home to Hatfield Heath on Saturday, but before that have the first round of this year's League Cup away at Epping Forresters on Thursday 19th May …6pm start …with EFCC sitting pretty having won all three of their games in Division 2.