I shall look forward to reading about the 2As splendid triumph over Div 1 leaders Lindow, Archie Elder’s first league ton a magnificent achievement on a great afternoon for Rehmani’s men. Indeed, Archie was in action from the first ball of the match, catching their opener to give the skipper the first of his four wkts. Lindow dug in to reach 207-9 on what is one of the quicker scoring grounds in the league, so that was also an impressive bit of work by the 2As.

The reply was in problems at 58-4 but Archie found allies firstly in Shabih and then Lord Nigel of Bellamyshire, the score advancing to 184 before Archie finally fell, Rehmani himself caressing the ball to the boundary for the winning hit with five balls unused. Great stuff!

Altogether more straightforward for the 2s at home to Hyde, Jonty (4-20) and James Bidder (4-14) far too hot to handle for the visitors as Chris and Evan knocked off the 67 needed inside 11 overs. Some of the Hyde players returned to Werneth Low to catch the end of their 1s game, grateful that they hadn’t had to chase the ball all over the field for 50 overs and knowing that more realistic targets for points and wins lay ahead. That’s the measure of the hold the 2s have on the rest of the league just now, and with 14 wins from 15, one would hope that the run just keeps going and going.

T20 quarter final action on Monday evening for the2s as they entertain Bowdon before a long trip to Oxton next Sat.

Oxton 1s will be the visitors to Dids for the final game of the win-lose-draw segment of games, and if both sides maintain their current form then it should be a happy afternoon for Nick’s side. Oxton were joint top after winning their first four matches but since we trounced them in game 5 they have suffered a steep decline, now second bottom.

The 1s should be in good heart to take them on after an impressive display at Hyde to beat the side second in the league with something to spare in the end. It’s not often that you travel to Werneth Low as marginal favourites on the day but after winning the toss on a track that, from all reports, hadn’t had too much in the way of prep, Dids proceeded to cement that reputation with an excellent display of bowling and fielding.

Luke Young hit three 4s off Will’s first over, two sweet, one slightly less convincing, but continuing his aggressive start in the next over he was too eager and Will saw him coming I think, Luke yorking himself to give Dids an early boost. Next ball the new bat pushed and ran to Tim at a short midwicket, the ensuing throw hitting directly to leave the non-striker caught cold and some way short.

And the procession had begun, scarcely believable quite honestly, as the General (5-41) from one end and ‘Baker’ from the other tied the batters in knots. Whether Hyde had let the under-prepared pitch get into their heads and they were mentally waiting for one with their name on it, I don’t know, but although there was help for the bowlers there didn’t seem anything excessive to my eyes. Indeed, with Hyde listing heavily to starboard at 72-9 in the 21st, there followed some six overs of Andrew Jackson proving there wasn’t too much up with the surface, as he hit sweetly and spectacularly.

Eight big sixes brought plenty of oohs and aahs from the knot of appreciative if subdued onlookers, and some 20 mins of delays in total as we searched for the jolly ball. Personally I thought the reverse sweep Jackson absolutely creamed off Steve G that crashed into the covers just behind the boundary rope a split-second after leaving the bat was the best shot of all.

For Dids it was a frustrating five overs as the board suddenly whizzed round and we looked a bit short of ideas. Maybe pace off would have been a better way to go? Perhaps, but it all seems to come alike to Jackson in that mood. We did allow some easy singles towards the end of overs and then didn’t make the most of the four balls the last man Liam Bowe had to face as the final wicket added 60 runs, the score getting towards a ticklish target.

Thankfully, after smacking two fours off Abhay’s first three balls, Jackson (I think) misread a slightly slower ball and his attempted whack over cover was more of a gentle chip. It seemed to be just clearing Tim at deep extra cover but Tim somehow timed his off-balance leap and flung out a hand, clinging onto the ball as he fell backwards. Wow and phew! Jackson was on his haunches, himself unable to believe what he’d seen, his buccaneering knock of 79 off just 48 bs over but with the initiative very much shifting to his side after such a terrific display of clean hitting.

Tim was back in action to open the innings with Tom, the right hander adjudged to have nicked one in the third over, but with 83 overs to chase, Dids were under no scoreboard pressure, Tom and Abhay settling down amongst the noisy fielders to build a handy little stand before Abhay missed a sweep at Liam Bowe’s third ball. The Hyde overseas is the leading bowler in the Prem this season and was generally regarded as being a serious danger on this surface. Thankfully for Dids, although tidy, he did bowl a few loose ones and certainly didn’t have his best day.

Indeed, arguably the key moment, after Rob was adjudged lbw to leave Dids an uncomfortable 87 away from victory, occurred when Bowe bowled at Charlie during a patient stand of 47 spanning 11 overs. Charlie generally showed good judgement but this time didn’t get right to the pitch as he advanced quickly to try and drive Bowe back over his head, instead hammering a hard caught and bowled chance straight back at the bowler, who dropped it. Injury was added to insult, so to speak, as Bowe badly hurt his hand in the process and had to leave the field for treatment.

Although clearly and understandably bothered by his bandaged hand, Bowe had a measure of revenge after he returned, albeit Charlie more got himself out, clumping a half tracker to deep cover. Then another twist as Nick miscued an attempted biggie, the ball spiralling way up into the air but superbly held by Dave Fitzsimmons, a top guy who covered miles in the field yesterday (fine leg to fine leg, over after over) and deserved huge credit for clinging onto a horrible swirling chance.

At 104-5 Hyde suddenly got noisy again – Nick’s wicket is always a big prize of course – but Steve G had slipped unassumingly out to the crease and proceeded to silence the fielders by biffing his first ball easily through the covers for four. Tom continued at the other end, compact, solid, picking the right ball to flick or drive, four more, before Steve effortlessly smacked three more boundaries next over off Bowe and the game was pretty much done, Haf sealing it with a seventh four in the 33rd.

All in all a very pleasing afternoon, coping with the effects of the Jackson onslaught well and putting together a composed reply when it would have been all too easy to make a mess of things in what can be a noisy and intimidating place to play. Yes, we were fortunate that Charlie Barnard was on England 12th man duty but Hyde still possess a dangerous attack and the guys deserve huge credit for coming through two big tests in the last two weeks as they have.

So, as I have said, second bottom Oxton to play and then six games of win-lose cricket….if it’s still in our hands after next week, then why not?