Despite the best efforts of the Durnford umpire the Woodfords sealed yet another valley match win on Sunday 1st June. On a pleasant summer afternoon a good crowd gathered at Great Durnford Cricket Club to enjoy the usual mix of high jinx, dodgy decisions and occasional strokes of genius. They were not disappointed.

The plan had been to let the Durnfords bat first, see what they would get "unassisted" and then rig the innings of the Woodfords to keep the game close. Sadly only two Woodfords players turned up on time so they were put into bat and Durnfords took to the field. Folkes and Moss are no strangers to this game and kept the score ticking along nicely until the rest of the team turned up. It was amazing to see what Folkes can do with his school bat, particularly smash up his own wicket to Durnford paceman Wood. Blackwood then trapped a gobsmacked Moss LBW who walked off open mouthed passed the Durnford umpire. A string of hard hitting, beautifully timed (apart from their arrival) workers from the Lake Estate lifted the run rate. Newman excited the crowd with swift 9 before falling to one of the three Stotts. Dovey fell for a pie from P Stott  caught by C Stott in the covers. Woodford skipper, Roller, then added insult to injury sending in a girl, I Ryan, to take the score to 110 for 8 from 22. Curtis and Blackwood were the pick of the Durnford bowlers.

After tea the pressure of needing 5 an over on a tricky wicket was too much for the Durnford openers of Templer and Gallup - both falling cheaply to some tidy Woodfords bowling. Folkes showed again how good he is with his hands snaffling up three catches behind the stumps. Wood and F Makin quickly followed leaving the Durnfords reeling on 7 for 4 from 3.3 overs.  Then Curtis and Hawkings, the Pietersen and Strauss of the Durnford side, put together an impressive platform to put the game back in the balance. On reaching 20 they were, under match rules, both retired and a string of Durnfords batsmen and batsladies came to the wicket, each exciting in their own way. C Stott showed the most promise keeping victory a possibility. Curtis and Hawkings returned but despite their best efforts the Durnfords finished on 97 for 11 off 22 overs (don't ask how I managed to squeeze in 13 batsmen!). Pick of the Woodfords bowlers were King and Morrison both taking 3 for 3.

Many thanks to Michael Roller for working tirelessly all afternoon, Hugh Keatinge for umpiring and all those that assisted in making the tea.

The mid-game match for children was won by yet another Stott - Hugh.

If you have any pictures of the event - please post them on the site.

Many thanks,

John.