First game back at the Home of Cricket, now upgraded with covers that don’t need bowls placed underneath to stop the water from getting on the wicket.

The 2As learned one of the lessons from last week by turning up nice and early (10:30 ish) so we could get the ground ready, and then get straight into a warm-up. We anticipated a tougher game than Marple, with Bowden one of two teams relegated from the 2s Prem last year, and because they beat Grappenhall before lunchtime last week (bowling them out for 30 odd).

It was great to see the new covers in action upon arrival, covering the Sunday wicket and leaving a half-trimmed green wicket for us to play on instead. It’s good to be home. Bowden arrived around the same time and piled their bags in front of the clubhouse. Why? Because both teams were locked out due the groundsman changing the key box code and then went on away for the weekend without letting anyone know.

After trying several different codes, and the same code numerous times but by different people (“just in case”), Bells tried the old-fashioned way… by wedging one of the scoring numbers into the key box which worked a treat. We then found the boundary rope conveniently placed behind a tractor in the shed meaning that all 11 players were needed to get the boundary sorted.

It was good to see at least Bowden got to enjoy an early warm-up. We managed more than last week but the team would agree it wasn’t ideal preparation again.

We wanted to field first so, while Rehmani went to do the toss, we mentally prepared to bat. Rehmani has now nearly equalled last year’s toss wins, and the team got ready to field.

Basics needed on a pitch that looked like it had lots in it. Young Aaron Grimbaldeston opened up with Rehmani for his 2As debut, having had an excellent season last year in the 4s. It wasn’t the start he would’ve hoped for, with a head-high beamer to greet the Bowden opener. Aaron recovered well but Bowden got off to a good start, 40-0 off 7 overs.

Last week’s MOTM Sunil joined the attack and picked up his first wicket shortly after Rehmani made the breakthrough. Both openers gone in quick succession. Sunil then claimed his second, with the batsman edging it to Bells at second clip. Sunil wouldn’t have known, though, as he was too busy appealing for LBW…

Didsbury recovered well after a poor start, dragging back the run rate and having Bowden three down. The opposition dug in and built some partnerships, and Rehmani turned to spin. Baseem replaced the skipper and, in his first game back in seven years, was probably our best bowler on the day. He tied up an end nicely, picking up four wickets, bowling 13 overs straight.

Bells reduced his run-up to around 15 paces, and it paid dividend, with a more consistent spell of bowling and picking up one wicket. He did try to deceive Bowden’s 14-year old O’Brien with (almost) a double-bouncer that was nearly chipped to short cover.

Bowden’s Graham batted well in the middle overs, making 79 and did not give away any real opportunities. He anchored the innings, with Bowden reeling at 139-7 at one stage, and helping the team pass the 200 mark. The pitch played fine, but it was probably 20/30 above par.

Special shout-out to Aaron Grimbaldeston, who kept going throughout the innings, bowling three short spells (including the last over of the innings), fielded superbly and took two great catches.

At the half time point, both teams seemed happy.

Tom Beresford opened up with Simon Lord. Fresh from his first training session of the season this past week, Beresford had high hopes to go one better than to take nine overs to get off the mark. An in-swinging yorker first up from Bowden’s left-arm seamer wasn’t in the script and that’s all she wrote. Thank god for catches in Didsbury CC fantasy cricket..

George quickly followed that up with his second, bowling Lord with score on just five. Panic stations. Goldstone and Reilly needed to rebuild. They had batted quite a bit with each other last year and put together some important partnerships. When Reilly clipped a ball off his legs for six, Didsbury 2As were hopeful. George had other ideas, bowling a controlled and attacking spell with the ball swinging back into the right-hander, capturing both batsmen LBW.

Both Bowden openers bowled through to drinks. Sunil (25) and Zohaib (29) batted well but Didsbury lost wickets too often. George picked up his fifth in his final over, with Aaron Creighton gloving it to the keeper. That’s 11 wickets in the first two games of the season for him.

Didsbury passed 140 for our second batting point, including a big six from Rehmani and a great sweep from Grimbaldeston for four.

Bowden were well-deserved winners, beating Didsbury 2As by 57 runs, and it was a similar story to last week.

Didsbury’s fielding was much better this week, but we allowed the opposition to get above par scores and then failed to put together any real partnerships when chasing. It was a very good spell of bowling that undone the top order, but we need to be harder to beat.

A trip to Macclesfield next weekend, who are sitting pretty at the top of the league with two wins. They don’t get any easier..