Hampshire - Square Leg's Story

[Square_Leg]

Hello all,

I bought the game a few weeks ago and I have been reading the stories on here with great interest. After having played a few games to try and get a feel for the engine (I haven't played any of the older titles) I feel I'm now ready to embark on my own adventure.

I am a Notts CCC fan myself and live only a short distance from Trent Bridge but I want the challenge of promotion and building a team. Hampshire are a fairly strong Div2 side who perform well in the shorter formats, but seem to be missing a trick in the County Championship. Square Leg to the rescue!

So - onto the pre-season.

[Square_Leg]

What do we need?

The first area I would like to look at is the spin options we have available. First choice is Danny Briggs who is actually not too bad at all. Like I said, I have played a few test games as Hampshire and he has always done ok. SLA so it would be nice to find a Off spinner to complement him.

Liam Dawson bowls a bit of SLA also but in my experience his is to be used for a few overs here and there and if he has a good day, can bowl a long spell.

The seam options seem fairly good. Balcombe is going to be steady, Wood is an excellent prospect and these two will likely form the opening attack. Tomlinson is useful too but he is starting to get on and so we could probably look to replace him soon. The others all have potential but only time will tell.

So batting wise I'm not really looking for anyone but if there is a good youth player I may take a chance. Another paceman and an offspinner would complement the squad well though.

Of the Domestic choices no one really stands out to me. I am a tiny bit tempted to go for Robbie Joseph but I think it might be better to take a plunge on a couple of youth players and see what we get.

Terry Owen is an all-rounder who bowls OS. Averages 26.20 with ball and 32.89 with the bat. Those numbers are supported with 69 wickets and almost 1,000 runs including 2 100's and 2 50's so he seems a solid choice to me. We offer him 24k for 3 years.

Jonathan Young is a RMF seamer who has taken the most wickets of all the choices in the youth section - 107 @ 27.26 We offer him 24k for 3 years also.

Both accept which is great news. We have 23k left which I will invest 10k in youth and 10k into coaching.

Onto the season!

[Square_Leg]

Pre season goal is to pick up an Off Spinner to complement Briggs as well as perhaps another seam bowler.

Off Spin Options

There are 3 Youth options that I am interested in.

R Hawking 59 wickets @ 28.49 economy of 3.33
N Dyer 56 wickets @ 29.84 economy of 3.05
R Cole 59 wickets @ 26.75 economy of 3.08

Hawking and Dyer can bat a bit too but Cole is lucky to hold the bat the right way up. Ok - lets investigate them a little further.

R Hawking Career bowl average 28.49, Last year 40.40
N Dyer Career bowl average 29.84, Last year 25.62
R Cole Career bowl average 26.75, Last year 27.82

Well - I'm looking for someone is improving and showing signs of being able to step up to the next level and Hawking's average last year was terrible! I'm going to discard him at this stage and choose between Dyer and Cole.

I'm going to go with Dyer I think here. Their numbers are very similar but Dyer can bat a bit and improved on his bowling average last year. He wants 24,000 so I offer it to him and sign him up for 3 years.

Seam Bowler

Hmm...

I was looking at all the players and I stumbled on A Dyke. Apart from the unfortunate name he looks like a handy inclusion especially as a 1-day player.

Bat average 43.30 SR 69.48 Very Aggressive.
Bowl average 33.30 Right arm Medium.

He probably won't play in FC until he shows he has the brain for it but he could slot in at 5 in the 40 game quite nicely.

Ok - what seam options are there:

T Bradley RFM 57 wickets @ 28.95 econ 3.56
R Peel 49 wickets @ 30.55 econ 3.74

and that's about it. On the face of it Bradley seems like the best option. Can we afford to get both Bradley and Dyke???

Yes- just! Sweet.

[Square_Leg]

Home vs Leicestershire

Leicestershire are one of the weaker sides in D2 and we should really be aiming for a win here. I decide to put all 3 of our newcomers in the 2nd team to see how they get on there before chucking them their first class caps.

We start with:

1. McKenzie
2. Carberry
3. Dawson
4. Bailey
5. Ervine
6. Adams
7. Wheater
8. Wood
9. Balcombe
10. Tomlinson
11. Briggs

1st Innings.

We win the toss and bat on a pretty flat track. There is a bit of cloud forecast for day's and 2 but then it clears to glorious sunshine.

We get off to a pretty poor start to be honest and lose first Carberry and then McKenzie for 1 each. Dawson and Bailey re-build but it isn't long until Dawson falls for 29. Sensing the need for some stability and with ball still fairly new, I decide to put Adams in ahead of Ervine but he only manages 28 before becoming Irelands 2nd scalp. Bailey meanwhile is batting nicely and passes his half century. Wheater comes in and gets a start but then out for 19 as does Ervine who makes 11. All the time Bailey at the other end is seeing it like a beach ball and is nearing his ton. The tail wags a little and Wood and Balcombe stick around to make 27 and 33 respectively whilst Bailey eventually falls for a well made 108. Tomlinson makes 18 and Briggs 0 not out so we are 290 all out.

2nd Innings

Leicestershire get off to a slow start with Balcombe and Wood starting very well but no wickets fall. First change Tomlinson sees to that and after 4 overs he has figures of 4-3-2-2. O'Brien and Sarwan then put together a stand of 118 which was only broken by the running out of Sarwan for 56. The wickets started to fall regularly at one end but O'Brien was in good form and he went on complete his ton. He was eventually out as the 9th wicket for 129. Leicestershire made a total of 273 giving us a lead of just 17. We could have done with more but I blame the batting more than the bowling as the pitch is still pretty good. Balcombe finished with 5-80.

3rd Innings

Looking to build a lead we got off to a good start until Carberry fell for a rather limp 14 off 68 balls. McKenzie was in top form and a marvelous 148 from him meant that we managed to declare with 2 and half sessions left with a lead of 288. Dawson chipped in with 41.

4th Innings

Leicestershire dug in and despite regular playing and missing, we only managed to get them 4 down by the end of the match. Balcombe got 2 wickets. In hindsight I should have declared earlier but the pitch was still fairly good and I didn't want to give them a chance.

Championship	Drawn match. we got 8 pts... Not what we wanted but there were some encouraging performances.
Batting award	Bailey gets it for his 1st Innings of 108. He held the team together.
Bowling award	Balcombe bowled really well in both innings

[Square_Leg]

Home vs Loughborough University

We bring in Dyer and Dyke and rest McKenzie and Tomlinson. Adams moves up to open with Carberry.

1st Innings

L'boro win the toss and bat on a specialist spinning wicket.... Balcombe and Wood open up the bowling and.... L'boro collapse to 43-8. A late partnership gets them up to 105 all out. Wood is the pick of the bowlers picking up 4. Dyke and Dyer both get their 1st first class wickets too.

2nd Innings

Adams and Carberry start very well making 67 and 59 respectively. A slightly dodgy patch sees few wickets but Bailey (59), Wheater (104*) and Wood (37*) see us post 384-6dec with over 4 sessions left to skittle L'boro.

3rd Innings

The wicket is a turner by now and after a few customary overs from the seamers the 3 spinners in the side settle in for a long spell. Dyer, Briggs and Dawson take 4-56 3-38 and 2-7 each and L'boro are all out for 160.

Overall a good performance against a poor side.

[Square_Leg]

Home vs Worcestershire

Worcestershire are sitting top of the table after winning both of their opening matches. On checking their stats this has been due to the form of Jones and Richardson with the ball mainly although Kervezee seems to be doing well with the bat only having been dismissed once in 4 innings.

Looking at the make up of their team they lack a decent spinner with Ali turning his arm over as their only notable option. Knowing this we prepare a spinning wicket and keep Dyer in the side. Tomlinson bowled well in the first match and so he comes back in for Dyke, who, despite a decent performance in the university match, slots back into the 2nds for some more practice.

Line up:

1. McKenzie
2. Carberry
3. Dawson
4. Adams
5. Bailey
6. Wheater
7. Wood
8. Balcombe
9. Dyer
10. Tomlinson
11. Briggs

My slight concern with this line up is if we have enough batting...

The weather forecast is good and we win the toss and bat.

1st Innings

After an opening stand of 58 we see our upper order slump to 102-4. Sigh. With Bailey and Wheater at the crease and a long tail we need a partnership... and oh my days do we get one. After a cautious start by both they soon settle into a rhythm of boundaries. first 50, 100, 150, 200... the partnership keeps on going. A pop up appears at 244 to say this is a Hampshire record! But they continue until finally, after a stand of 342, Wheater falls for 171. Bailey however isn't done and he continues to bat with the tail to go and and bring up his highest first class score of 200* at which point we declare on 509-7.

2nd Innings

Feeling encouraged and with the pitch degrading we set about the task of routing Worcestershire. At 48-3 they are struggling but a stand of 128 between Ali and Kervezee rescues the innings some-what. However they both fall close to one-another for 76 and 53 exposing the tail which is routinely removed. 262 all out and the follow on is enforced.

3rd innings

With only a win or draw on the cards we attack and again have them reeling at 58-3 but again Ali and Kervezee stand in our way. This time even more-so. A stand of 198 really sets us back but when Kervezee eventually goes for 75, the win is definitely still on. Ali falls for a really good 137 but Johnson and Pinner put on 114 and give Worcestershire the lead. Sigh. I tried everything I could think of to separate them but nothing would work. A late flurry of wickets saw Dyer get a 5-fer but it wasn't enough and the game was drawn.

Championship	9pts and another draw... We need to start winning
Batting award	Bailey and Wheater were superb
Bowling award	Well... I guess Dyer can have it for his maiden 5-fer

Essex next and they are going to be very tough.

[Hampshire]

Will be interesting to watch , keep it up . Who's captaining the side? I notice CC seems to auto select McKenzie for some reason!

[Square_Leg]

Thanks!

Adams has captained all the games so far except the first where like you said - McKenzie did as he was selected before I noticed!

[Imager36]

Good start on the writing front! Just need to start winning those pesky matches now.

[Square_Leg]

Away v Essex

I've got to be honest, this is going to a tough game, especially if we lose the toss. The weather is ok on day 1, poor on day 2, and then good on days 3 and 4. If we win the toss then bat and by the time their innings starts the cloud will be around to aid our medium pacers, if we lose the toss it is vice versa.

A couple of changes to the team:

1. McKenzie
2. Carberry
3. Adams
4. Vince - Off the back of 2 good 2nd team performances
5. Bailey
6. Wheater
7. Dyke - scored a rapid 80odd for the 2nds and took a 5-fer!
8. Wood
9. Balcombe
10. Dyer
11. Tomlinson

Dawson and Briggs miss out.

We lose the toss and Essex choose to bat. Sigh. I'll settle for a draw to be honest.

Balcombe crashes into Rutherfords pads whilst he is on 10 but the appeal is turned down... looks plumb to me on the replay... I hope he doesn't make us pay. Woot! He doesn't as in Balcombe's next over Rutherford is caught at 2nd slip! Cook is going for some sort of record. He got off the mark on his 2nd ball, 38 balls later he score his 2nd run.

This sums up how a lot of matches start for me when I'm bowling. The opposition score very slowly and I tend to pick up 1,2 or 3 wickets pretty easily. It's the spell between overs 25 and 65 that I seem to struggle to apply any pressure and they always escape. Bopara is looking good and cook has actually managed to get to 9 off 67 but then we get a stroke of luck. Bopara is struck by a bouncer from Wood and has to retire hurt. This could be really important as he is in really good form. However in the 10 overs from 20-30 Essex score 56 runs. Bringing Balcombe back on soes the trick and he removes Foster for 17. If only the others could get stuck in!

At lunch Essex are 87-2 but with Bopara retired hurt this isn't a bad position at all considering the pitch is a road.

Fuuuu... Cook is dropped at 2nd slip by Adams off Balcombe first ball after lunch. Pettini is dropped at first slip this time on 26 off Tomlinson... Sigh. The slips couldn't catch a cold in Siberia it seems.

At tea Essex are 201-2. Cook 53* Pettini 79*

Finally a catch is held in the slips and Cook departs for 84 from 259 balls. Pettini however is going big and is on 137* If we can get him and the rest cheap there may still be a chance in this game but it looks like Essex are firmly in control. Westley falls 5th ball for 2. And that ends the day. Essex made 299-4.

Day 2 and Balcombe picks up Smith for 8. He then bowls Napier in 2 balls later. Masters digs in but Wood bowls him for 13, Pettini is still there but if we can keep him at the other end and work on the tail we have a chance of getting Essex for less than 400 which would be an achievement in my book.

Well - Topley scored 31 at number 11 and Pettini finished 194* to give Essex a first innings total of 429 all out. If we could catch then it could have been soooo much lower. Today I hate cricket!

2nd Innings

To be honest this isn't going to be easy as there is a lot of cloud and the pitch, although still pretty good, is starting to degrade. We make it to tea at 32 without loss. If we can survive the rest of the day without too much damage, day 3 is looking like a belter and with bad light and rain on the cards we may get some help...

Rain does stop play but not before we lose 3 wickets. Carberry (21) Adams (0) and Vince (3) all fall until Dyer comes in as a nightwatchman to protect Bailey and Wheater - the two in form men. McKenzie is still there on 37*

Day 3 starts a little cloudy but it should burn off quickly. Dyer and Bailey both fall quickly but McKenzie and Wheater (30 off 29!) start to play some nice shots. No sooner do I write this and McKenzie is out for 64. Dyke and Wheater put on a few before Dyke (27) is out and then Masters take a triple wicket maiden to put us up the creek without a paddle. It isn't even lunch yet! Wheater is the last man out for 50 and we are in a complete mess having only scored 190.

3rd Innings

Unsurprisingly we are asked to follow on. Topley's first over goes for 16 but he picks up McKenzie... sigh. Come on guys. Stick around! Carberry (66) and Vince (38) give a little resistance before I accidentally on purpose use Dyer as a nightwatchman again! We make it to the close on 170-3.

Day 4

The pitch is still ok although Craddock could prove to be difficult as it starts to take more spin. Adams and Dyer have a mammoth task as if we are to be salvaging a draw we really need to bat until after tea.

Masters removes Dyer with the 3rd ball of the day.... miffed.

Adams meanwhile moves to his half century from no fewer than 255 balls! Amazing effort!!! Keep going lad! Bailey at the other end doesn't last long and so it is Wheater again who is under pressure to perform. Out of nowhere he hits his first 5 balls for 19. Easy as pie this game. He only makes 28 though and Dyke falls on the stroke of lunch to leave us in a bad position at 248-7.

We don't lose a wicket between Lunch and tea as Adams and Wood dig dangerously deep trenches. Adams makes it to 100 from what seems like a record but probably isn't 432 balls. We lead by 73 so the game isn't safe yet but hopefully we can last it out....

Bugger, bugger! 1st ball after tea and Wood falls for 27 and Balcombe is out the very next ball!!! Can our 11th wicket pair survive?!?!






No - Adams finally falls for 101 from 437 balls. We lead by 80 with 1hr 49mins left. So close but I think we are going to lose this.

Sigh - with 2 overs left Essex win by 10 wickets. So close to saving the match. I'm knackered. I can't be doing this every game, we need to start winning.

Championship	After 3 games we have 19 points. Not good enough.
Batting Award	Has to go to Adams for his endurance
Bowling award	Don't make me laugh. (Balcombe gets a mention)

[Square_Leg]

40-40 League

Next up are 3 one day games which to be honest, I haven't had much luck at so far since playing this game.

Essex

1st Innings

We lose the toss and are put in to bat first on a spinning pitch with grey clouds overhead. Vince (65) and Carberry (46) get us off to a great start which is followed up by run a ball innings from McKenzie (26), Bailey (20), Dawson (29*), and Wheater (13). Dyke hits a nice 15* of 7 to boost up to 218-5 from our 40 overs.

I'm pretty happy with this.

2nd Innings

Cook and Quiney get off to a great start. Bradley on debut is expensive in his opening spell as is Dyke, but it is the latter that gets the breakthrough dismissing Quiney for 63. 144-1 - doesn't sound like we have much of a chance. 156-2 as Dyke gets his 2nd and then Dawson and Dyer start spin from both ends. Wickets fall on 165, 169, 169, 185, 191, 191, 192 and then 193, Cook making 96 in the end but it isn't enough and we win by 25 runs!

I forgot to capture a screenshot of this though. Bowling figures were:

Balcombe 8-1-45-0
Bradley 8-0-41-0
Wood 8-1-31-1
Dyke 8-0-51-2
Dawson 3-0-13-4
Dyer 2.2-0-12-2

Table	Played 1 won 1. Can't ask for more!
Batting	Vince set the scene
Bowling	Dawson ripped through them in no time at all!

Scotland

The minnows are next and we win the toss and put them in.

1st Innings

Bradley is much better this time but doesn't get a wicket finishing with figures of 8-2-23-0. Balcombe picked up 2 wickets but the pick of the bowlers was Dyer. His figures of 8-0-21-4 were instrumental in getting Scotland for 168-9 from their 40.

Shouldn't be too hard....

2nd Innings

A good start again as Vince (39), Carberry (24) and McKenzie (24) all got starts but all fell. When Bailey also fell for just 6 with the score on 100 we were in a bit of trouble as the run rate was creeping up to 5.5. Dawson (21), Wheater (21) and Dyke (18) steadied the ship and it was set up for Dyer to hit the winning run.

We won by 3 wickets but made that look a lot harder than it should have been.

Table	2 from 2 and we are looking good
Batting award	Vince again for his 39
Bowling award	Dyer was the MotM

Surrey

Surrey are the 3rd opponents and they win the toss and choose to bat on a pretty flat track.

1st Innings

Surrey race away from the start and none of our bowlers really get any control. Sheppard playing in his 1st game of the season gets a wicket to end with 8-0-38-1 and the best figures but Surrey, through Smith (92), Davies (39), de Bruyn (30) and Solanki (24*) get a decent total of 235-4 from their 40 overs. This isn't going to be easy.

2nd Innings

Vince falls first this time for just 11 and Carberry goes shortly afterwards for only 19. The next 6 batsmen all make pretty much run a ball scores 20-40 but no sooner do they look in and they out. Dawson top scores with 41 and Dyke hits a very quick 26 to keep us in it. With 2 overs to go we have 1 wicket left with the 2 youngsters Dyer and Bradley at the crease still needing 17. With 6 balls to go this is reduced to 9 needed.

Dyer pulls it out of the bag and we win with 1 ball and 1 wicket to spare!

3 out of 3 wins!!! I can't believe it as normally I'm really bad at one day games. i guess I have concentrated a lot harder on these ones knowing I'm going to be reporting them here! If only I could do better in the championship.

Table	3 fro 3 and we are top! Other teams still need to play though
Batting award	Dawson top scored with 41 but Dyer gets an honorable mention for finishing the game under pressure
Bowling award	Sheppard I guess but no one stood out.

fin Championship game next. Need to keep winning!!

[Dick Van Dykes Disco Dog]

looks like you've turned the corner regarding the one-day issues mate

[Square_Leg]

looks like you've turned the corner regarding the one-day issues mate

Yes, it appears that way, but appearances can be misleading! haha

Away v Gloucestershire

In need of a win we are going to have to push hard here. If we win it we are going to be able to push on and hopefully be there or there abouts come the end of the season, if we lose it then we may as well start some real experimentation and explore the squad.

So the team to take on this task:

1. McKenzie
2. Adams
3. Carberry
4. Dawson
5. Bailey
6. Wheater
7. Ervine
8. Wood
9. Balcombe
10. Dyer
11. Tomlinson

Carberry drops to 3 and Adams opens up. Our highest opening partnership of the season is just 58 so I want to shake it up a bit. Actually, our only century stand is the record 342 between Wheater and Bailey! Ervine also returns in place of Dyke. Experience over youthful exuberance.

1st Innings

The new opening partnership get us off to a great start albeit a slow one. At lunch we are 76-0 however just after lunch McKenzie falls for 48 caught in the slips and Adams is bowled for 26.

A number of failures ensue and at tea we are 171-5 with Dawson and Ervine at the crease. They take the task at hand on with great determination and bat the whole session until close, negotiating the new ball in the process. Both pass 50 and at the close of play the score is 238-5.

Ervine is LBW to Norwell for 74 and Dawson follows a few overs later for 82. Wood doesn't last long but Balcombe and Dyer proceed to score some great tailenders runs. They put on 50 before Dyer falls for 26. Balcombe makes 33 and we are all out for 361.

2nd Innings

Wood has Cockbain caught behind from his 1st ball and Klinger is caught at 2nd slip off Balcombe moments later. Gloucs are reeling at 8-2 from 9 overs. The pressure continues and the 3rd wickets falls when Wood has the dangerous Marshall trapped LBW. Tomlinson traps Roderick in his 1st over and Gloucs and Wood gets his 3rd when Dent is LBW for a duck. At tea on day 2 Gloucs are 24-5 a mammoth 337 runs behind. Chris Wood is the man with figures of 10-6-7-3.

After tea Gloucs realy head into their shell and block maiden after maiden until there is a little flurry of runs only to be halted by Ervine trapping du Toit in front for 15. Gidman and Saxelby seem to be doing the job at forming a recovery but Saxelby runs his partner out in what can only be described as suicidal.

Tomlinson returns to dismiss Saxelby and Fuller in consecutive balls and with that day 2 ends. Gloucestershire are in a mess at 98-9. Wood gets Norwell in the 1st over of the morning and that is that.

That was exactly what we needed.

3rd Innings

Enforcing the follow seems like a no brainer here, the bowlers are fresh after a good nights sleep and we are still 263 runs ahead.

Klinger and Cockbain start very cautiously scoring just 7 runs from the first 10 overs but they soon find their stride and start to score a few runs. Wood however is still dangerous and clean bowls Klinger for 25. Tomlinson gets in on the act and removes Cockbain and Marshall both caught in the slips. At lunch Gloucs are 61-3.

Dent has strange preferences: Stong front foot, pace and offside tendancies mean that the ideal ball to him is a slow long hop which Ervine serves him on a plate. In an attempt to smack it through the legside he edges through to Wheater for a pair in the match. Roderick runs himself out going for a 2nd to retain the strike - this is the first time I've seen this happen.

Ervine get du Toit for the 2nd time in the match and Gloucs 2nd innings is heading exactly the same way as the first. Balcombe joins in trapping Gidman in front for 24 and at tea they are 135-7.

Saxelby provides some resistance but Tomlinson has his number at 31 as well as Fuller for just 3. 1 Wicket to go for our first win in the championship!

Wood gets it when Bailey takes a stunning catch at backward point to remover Payne and Hampshire win by an innings and 107 runs!!!

Championship	40pts puts us in 4th but 17pts off 3rd.
Batting award	Dawson and Ervine get it for their rescuing stand of 133
Bowling Award	Tomlinson got 7-69 and Wood 6-74 in the match so both were key. Tomlinson wins it marginally

[Square_Leg]

Another couple of 40-40 matches to report - can we maintain our winning streak?!

Hampshire v Durham

The first match sees us take on Durham who have also won their first 3 games of the campaign. We prepare a spinning wicket and bring in Briggs to the side.

After winning the toss Hampshire bat.

1st Innings

Vince falls early but Carberry (97) and Dawson (79) bat superbly scoring at over a run a ball in a partnership worth 160 before Bailey (33*) and a few others get us up to 249-7. It is a good score and hopefully our spinners can limit Durham in their response.

2nd Innings

Durham start ok but lose wickets fairly regularly whilst the run rate escalates up to 7.5/over. Snell comes in at 8 however and launches the ball all over. With 2 overs to go Durham need 26. With 1 over to go they need 17. Ervine is the man who is trusted to bowl it. 4,1,1,4,4......... erm. they need 3 off the last ball. A swing and a miss sees Hampshire make it 4 from 4 and we win by 2 runs!

Table	Top with 4 wins in 4!
Batting Award	Carberry scored 97 from 86 balls. Superb effort
Bowling Award	Briggs did well in the middle spell getting 2-39 from his 8.

Lancashire V Hampshire

We travel to Lancashire for a 40-40 match followed a county match. An unchanged side arrives at we win the toss and bat first on a similar pitch to the one we just played Durham on.

1st Innings

Once again Vince (22) gets a start but doesn't really go on but Carberry's good form continues as he goes on to make 74. Bailey (45), Ervine (20), Dyke (33) and Wheater (22) all contibute to help us post 258-8

2nd Innings

Wood bowl beautifully at the start but the other end hemorrhages runs. Once Wood is bowled out both ends are just as leaky as each other. Moore plays a great innings scoring 127. He is ably supported by Katich (84) and, despite a brief wobble, Lancs make it home for the loss of just 4 wickets with 7 balls to spare. We lose.

Table	We are still top but Durham could go ahead of us if they win their next game
Batting Award	Carberry does it again
Bowling Award	Wood was the only one to show any control

[Square_Leg]

Away v Lancashire

After beating us in the 40-40 match we are looking for revenge against Lancs in the CC game. The weather forecast is good all 4 days and Lancs have prepared a wicket that looks like it will give a result. They haven't got of to the best of starts in the longer format so lets look to capitalise on that.

Team:

1. McKenzie
2. Adams
3. Carberry
4. Dawson
5. Bailey
6. Wheater
7. Ervine
8. Wood
9. Balcombe
10. Tomlinson
11. Briggs

Briggs comes in for Dyer as he is knackered bless his little cotton socks. Otherwise unchanged.

We win the toss and bat.

1st Innings

We lose Adams in the 1st over but then McKenzie and Carberry settle into a nice rhythm and at lunch we are 90-1. After lunch both batsmen pass 50 but Chapple gets Carberry LBW from around the wicket. Looks to be sliding down to me... Replay suggests it is clipping leg. As McKenzie tucks his bat underneath his shoulder at tea and heads inside for a french fancy, he has 114* to his name. Dawson has been much the quieter partner with just 21*. The score is 196-2.

The new ball is devastating and we lose 6-26 in quick succession. Wheater sticks around with the tail and we manage to scrape together 308 runs before it is all over. Hogg bowled really well with the 2nd new ball ending up with figures of 5-81.

2nd Innings

Lancs negotiate a tricky period before lunch on day 2 and set about their innings in earnest after a bite to eat. Horton (16) and Proctor (14) fall to Balcombe and Tomlinson respectfully. Katich and Moore start a mini recovery - actually Moore looks like he is continuing from the one day game. Balcombe however comes back into the attack and traps Katich plumb as you like for 28. Wayne White comes in off the back of a 102* - what can he do? He can go and get a sandwich, its tea. Score is 97-3.

At the end of the day it is still Moore and White at the crease and the score is 200-3. On a supposedly spinners dream Briggs and Dawson create nothing.

The next day and the new ball is taken. Finally we get Moore for 110 and White for 91. At lunch they have an 8 run lead with 6 down. After lunch they continue to pile on runs but Briggs finally gets some wickets and cleans them up for 402. A lead of 94.

3rd Innings

We negotiate the final session losing only McKenzie for 44. Day 4 begins and I can't see how we can get a win from this without skittling them for under 100. By lunch we have a lead of 98 with 6 wickets remaining and by the time we are all out for 271, the lead is 177 with a session and an over to go. They'll probably need about 5rpo for that so it could be an interesting finish!

We get a couple of early wickets but then Katich goes for it. He doesn't really find any support so despite his 104 from 92 balls, it ends in a draw. It was close though. They needed 11 from the last over!

Championship	We slip to 6th - it is all a bit close but we must turn more results if we stand a chance at promotion
Batting Award	McKenzie for his ton in the 1st Innings
Bowling Award	Briggs did ok in the end but he should have done better on that pitch