Record to date -   Played   5    Won   2    Drawn   2      Lost   1

v Lomagundi College Primary School

The team's first home match produced the most convincing showing thus far. The pitch had damp patches (leaky covers) and play was interrupted by intermittent showers throughout the day so conditions were hardly familiar but the mysterious psychological advantage of performing on one's `own dung heap' was nevertheless manifest.

Taylor unsurprisingly became the first of the current crop to register an individual first XI half-century. He opened the innings and remained not out at the end but his sterling effort could not be registered as `carrying his bat' because he felt nauseous shortly after reaching double figures, "retired ill" for about an hour, and then returned to the fray.

Walters suddenly happened upon the secret of the forward defensive stroke mid-way through his stay at the wicket. He then became somewhat over-attached to his new discovery and neglected to punish loose deliveries he would normally have 'smifligated' but the fact that he has finally mastered this basic requirement augurs well for the future.

The rest of the batting lacked distinction but a respectable total was cobbled together and when our visitors lost the cream off the top of their order (30/4) in the 14 overs remaining before luncheon the outcome of the match was effectively decided. The only excitement thereafter arose when a heavy shower drove everyone from the field and seemed to have saved the L.C.P.S. bacon with their score on 105/9. However Jupiter Pluvius relented, the rain slackened and the coup-de-grace was administered with 26 minutes remaining on the clock.

Apart from some incisive early overs from Rouse the Lilfordia bowling had been less tidy than one has come to expect but, by way of compensation, the fielding showed some improvement and Coetzee held an excellent catch.

Lilfordia 173 (Taylor 59 no, Rouse 11, Walters 27, Buchanan 26)
L.C.P.S. 105 (Cantle 1/17, Rouse 5/26, Buchanan 2/16, Taylor 1/26)
Won by 68 runs.

The 2nd XI (Coach Mr R Hammond)

Record to date: Played    2    Won       Lost    2

L.C.P.S. 97/4 (Cork 1/26, Elcombe 2/16, Beaton 1/7)
Lilfordia 50
Lost by 47 runs.

Apart from which we have been obliged to watch some 250mm of precipitation descending in varying amounts over the course of 15 successive days. IF the Springvale matches take place we will therefore be hoping for 'beginners' luck' - the reports, if any, will be found in the next communiqué.

COLTS CRICKET (Coach Mr D Campbell)

v L.C.P.S.
Lilfordia 80 (Rouse 17)
L.C.P.S. 111 (Bonthrone 5/21, Hensberg 2/28)
Lost by 7 wkts

Having been inserted on a wicket favouring the bowlers, the top order struggled with the prodigious lateral movement and swing induced by the disciplined Lomagundi attack. However Rouse and Bonthrone steadied the ship in the middle order with a stand of 22 for the sixth wicket. Whilst they were at the crease a score of over 100 looked possible, which would have been defendable considering the condition of the pitch. However the demise of the aforementioned initiated a 'domino' effect on the tail-end of the order and we were bowled out for a rather tame total of 80.

With only two 'recognized' batters in their line-up, the key to success would be early wickets. However this was not to be as the bowling at the beginning of the innings was somewhat wayward. The Lomagundi batsmen took full advantage of this and cruised past the total only three wickets down. On the dismissal of their 'stars' the next seven wickets fell for just 29 runs to leave LCPS on 111 all out. Bonthrone was particularly impressive ending up with match figures of 21 overs, 9 maidens, five for 21.

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