Richard Fletcher's Sunday side notched up another solid win to make it two in the weekend, this time by overcoming the challenge of Soulbury in a 40 over game at Manor Fields, shrouded in music Twenty20 style!
A local event held by the top pavillion blasted out reggae music all day, helping the Shenley clash be played in the best of spirits, a convincing 104 run victory seeing quite a few cricketers live up to their best.
Skipper Fletcher - notching his 266th game to go 5th in the all time list - has to be forgiven for his lack of schooling when he was younger, managing to select 12 players, his mistake? Leaving his own brother Jay out! Luckily the injured Simon Sidwell dropped out leaving Guy Kilby to make his debut and Jon Boyle to slot in for his second SCECC appearance.
The Peacock brothers opened, but Shenley were soon one down as Ian was bowled, then Andy and Fletcher putting on 69 before the latter adjudged LBW to a low bouncing balls. Strip 1 didn't seem to have good consistent bounce after the previous week's rains, worse than Saturday's middle strip.
It was left to Stuart Hardwick and Guy Kilby (who used four different bats, breaking two of them!) to put on 114 for the 6th wicket - the 3rd highest in the club's history - after Jon Boyle scored a quick 10. It motored the scores to 220-5, their partnership lasting the final third of the innings.
Church End ensured grabbing wickets wasn't left to one person. Hardwick, Graham Teagle, Ian Peacock, Chris Peacock and Anthony Brace all pitched in with two wickets, K Sear grabbing a stylish half century for the visitors, getting stumped out on 61.
Brace finished off the innings in ridiculous style, bowling a ball that bounced twice that trapped the No. 11 for LBW, and securing a confident victory in what was a brilliant day's cricket.
MANOR FIELDS MATCH FACTS:
Strip used: | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Condition: Low bounce, wet, inconsistent
Catches dropped: 2