SHENLEY CHURCH END
CRICKET CLUB

The pleasing element of this win was viewing many of the side contributing to a rounded victory - more of a case of "job done well" than annihilating the opposition - and it was left to debutant Anton De Beer and opening batsmen Homer Evans to show their colours in this opener.

Despite losing the toss and fielding first, Shenley's enforced - though strong - team selection could have picked from 8 bowlers, but were only forced to field 5 of those bowlers as a number of wickets fell inside the first quarter.

Eggington were reduced to 46-4 from 12 overs, yet a good partnership from C. Hipwell and S. Janes, eventually scoring 48 and 28 respectively, pulled them up towards the 100 mark during his innings. A classy Hipwell could count himself lucky to reach that total, skipper Hardwick dropping him twice as well as other close chances.

Jon Pennells bowled a superb spell for 3-28 from 10 overs, whilst Richard Fletcher and Graham Teagle got off the mark with 2 wickets apiece, Jay Fletcher and Anton De Beer grabbing one. Vice captain Fletcher and Simon Sidwell were on hand to provide run-outs as Eggington limped to 135.

With 53 overs to knock off the relatively small total, SCECC raced to 49 from the first 11 overs. But a 33 ball spell without scoring from some tight Eggington bowling shifted the emphasis for Shenley to dig deeper. After Nick Rogers and Colin Wayman fell, the first 25 overs yielded 79 runs with 8 wickets in hand.

Evans and De Beer then went on the rampage, battering every loose ball. The South Africn scored 37* from 23 balls (first 7 were dots, 4 fours, 3 sixes!) while Evans made it to the finish with 57*, cementing his place as one of the Shenley openers. I. Cook was the pick of the home bowlers, 2-33 from 9.1 overs.

Shenley climb to an early third - but it's all relative at this stage. Biddenham are the opponents next Saturday.