(Elsecar 229-7, 50 overs; SCCC 160-9, 50 overs). The 2nds hosted Elsecar on Saturday at Abbeydale, keen to erase the memory of last weeks disappointing defeat to Doncaster. Unfortunately, this wasn' t to be......Elsecar won the toss, and decided to bat on an overcast afternoon and we soon got early successes. Big T was attacking the area outside leg stump, and after a few misses Tim Farmer eventually made contact, only sending a leading edge straight to Riaz at short cover. Unfortuantely for Riaz, Bully thought the ball was coming to him and made an almighty slide forward to catch it only to take Riaz out, who in turn took Rooty out who was running across from mid on. Sir Clive are you watching? Kamikaze stuff. Filth then got the other opener caught at short extra again by Riaz, after Stewie/Dicko had fumbled a slip chance the ball before. 15/2 great start. We continued to bowl well, and restricted Elsecar to 75-2 at the halfway stage, thanks to tight bowling from Batts and Dicko in the main. In Tennis style advantage Collegiate.

After drinks, their number 4 began playing a couple of shots, until he tried one too many and debutant Belfitt caught a high one after an attempted sweep off Dicko. Enter Lesroy. 2nd ball, he turned one off Dicko behind square to Riaz on the boundary. He wanted 2 and back he came. Riaz s throw was perfect straight over the top of the stumps, and an easy take for Belfitt and removal of the bails followed. He looked well out from mid off but even worst from point (simmo), slip (rooty) and square leg (big t) but Booty gave him not out. Turning point indeed. He went on to hit the ball hard. Quick 50, which in the end took the game from us. The number 3 who had been in ages also reached 50 and after a few token wickets for leading wicket taker Riaz at the end, Elsecar made 229 for 7. 30-40 more than they should have.

Terrible tea. Cake awful, sanwhiches (see tom leiper s report) poor, pizza shocking, chicken legs disgraceful.

We begun fairly well Rooty looked good, until he middled one (he said he mishit it, but looked good to me) to extra cover. That brought Stewie to the crease to join Riaz, and they both batted sensibly and quickly to take the score on to 79-1. The game was evenly poised, and if anything we may have been slightly on top at this stage, as they had a lack of ideas. Lesroy turned to Jason Meadows and his occasional spin soon accounted for Riaz, (caught at gulley), Stewie (bat before wicket), Simmo (terrible shot), Filth (terrible shot). Other debutant Chris Bellamy ran himself out, and before you knew it we were 90-6. Dicko soon came and went (thigh pad before wicket), as did Belfitt (didn t see it before wicket) leaving Bully and Batts at the crease to bat out 12 overs to ensure they did not get maximum. Both got dropped, and continued to frustrate a very vocal outfield. They brought back their opening bowler, and he got rid of Batts caught behind bringing Big T to the crease. 1 wicket required, 2.5 overs left. We held on, despite the fact Bully shouldered arms to a straight one only to be given not out and their opening bowler bowling the last ball of the game 4 times (no balled 3 times!) thankfully, t blocked it each time. A small bit of pride restored at the end very small.

Post mortem in the changing rooms after very productive chat. Lets hope we can take the messages forward to next week, in what is another difficult looking game at Whitley Hall.