Hickling too strong for Seconds

It being that time of the year holidays meant a shuffling of the pack throughout the teams leaving the Seconds without most of the main run scorers this season. However, this key game of 4th v 3rd in "D" was still in the balance with the visitors at 155/7. Taimoor Safdar's accurate seamers once again had brought just reward. The game turned on an aggressive hand by Yogesh Patel who hammered 48 in 38 balls including 23 off the final over. The 2nd XI innings was left in near ruins by that man Patel again and Will Minch whose gave nothing away (12-7-19-2) and so when the writer arrived at the ground (via Wollaton - see Firsts' match report) the reply was a sad 45/6 in 19 overs. Still there was pride and bonus points to play for and impressively only one more wicket fell. At first Richard Whittle was the most fluent and confident while captain Eddy George regularly played and missed. Eventually he got going too and found a more expansive game and in truth it was a surprise when the skipper nicked off going for a big one seeing if he might just be able to make a 50 before overs ran out. Pleasingly Richard got to his landmark and a well deserved round of applause. No arguing with the result but it was good there was not a capitulation.

Charlie George