3s destroy Warlingham

Warlingham - 9 for 70 off 20 odd overs (Tommy D 5 for)

lost to Hampton Wick - 2 for 74 (Singh not out 34)

A flat deck, small outfield, and warm conditions greeted the 3s on Saturday in the leafy suburb of Warlingham. It screamed in every possible sense that batting first would be the only option. However, as the opposition presented more like a colts side combined with a few basils, bowling first and getting the job done quickly was the only answer. Toss won. Bowl first.

Eddie Charlton and Tommy D opened the bowling. On his day, Eddie is one of the best bowlers at the club. He swings it, loops it, and touches the ball like Herr Fritzel in an underground cellar. On a bad day....the less said the better. This day we found Eddie coming out of the cellar, handcuffs removed and the free to bowl, but still with nagging doubts about whether he would return to the cellar. His first delivery was a banana, cratering into the opener's off stump. 1-4.

Tommy D was bowling beautifully again. With a lively track, he managed to get the ball to pitch up on a length and jump almost vertically. After Eddie had removed a lively left handed to a good catch from Selves, TD then removed the opener with an LBW and the number 4 with a sharp catch from Joe Hirsh. In between these wickets were a couple of gash balls from Eddie which got belted, and a couple which slipped behind the keeper. At 60-4 Warlingham had clearly scored too many runs.

With Selves coming on up the hill after replacing Charlton, he picked up two wickets in just a few overs. A great catch by Tommy Robinson in slips (welcome back mate) and another by Hirsh at point put Warlingham at 6 down for not many more. Tommy D then got the last three wickets, taking a caught and bowled in his 11th over. Waringham only had 10 men, so their innings had ended after just 21 overs.

Teas - brilliant. Nice thick bread, and a surprise late show with some hot cross buns. Perfect.

Rizzo and Nath set about the task of getting the 71 runs quickly, and the score quickly went to 40 off just 5 overs. One thing that has been a feature of watching the 3s bat (aside from the collapses) has been the rather interesting bodily befowlments by some of the boys watching from the sidelines. The phrase "did somebody step on a duck" has become quite a common line heard recently. Jimmy C's favourite appears to be "can someone get the bucket?!. Either way, the GP may need to get a workout this week, and perhaps a packet of dulcoease (picture attached above) purchased.

Anyway....Hirsh and Risman fell in the chase, but the game was done by 3.30pm. So quick was it that the team weer back at the club to watch the 2s go around. Quick. Job done.

MOM - Tommy D....another 5 for!! His name will largely own the wall in the lofting suite this season. Surely he is making strides to be the player of the year. It's a moniker worth striving for.

Wickman Junior