3/6/07 - 1st XI V Sandford St Martin

The first team travelled to Sandford St Martin to face one of the early season pace setters. The week long wet weather had given away to beautiful sunshine and a wicket that looked as if it would give some early assistance to the bowlers.There was one change in the Nondies line up with Ross Brown replacing the injured Chris Day. There was a much more significant change in the score box, where the club chairman was making his debut.Surrounded by technology he barely knew existed and armed with only a black biro he looked in awe of his opposite number.
 Martin Anson, the home team captain, won the toss and thought long and hard before deciding to bat. The Sanford openers, who the previous week had chased down 200 runs at Kimble, found runs hard to come by against James and Scrivener as both bowlers found early movement. Chas Taylor looked to break the shackles and lofted a drive to the left of Tom Bilyard at cover who looked crestfallen as he failed to hold on to the ball. However, the opening partnership was broken soon afterwards when Jim Howe failed to control a hook off a short ball from Matt Scrivener and Mead took a comfortable catch at square leg.
A scrappy passage of play followed with Matt struggling to locate the strip and conceding a series of wides wides while Leighton maintained control during an impressive opening spell. Ross Brown replaced Matt Scrivener but it was Leighton James who removed the dangerous Chas Taylor when he bowled him with the total on 50. Ross then struck in his second over when he had Rob Taylor held at point. Two more wickets fell quickly as Mark Robey nicked one to Matt Baggs and Goffe failed to make his ground as the bowlers turned the screw.
68 for 5 soon became 83 for 7 when Tanner thinned one down the leg side off Ross and Baggs took a fine low catch and Bartholomew found the swing of Ross too much and was trapped in front of his stumps.
The momentum was now totally with the visitors and Matt Scrivener running backwards failed narrowly to hang onto a skyer from Sandfords captain but immediately atoned by gathering the ball and throwing down the stumps from deep mid off to run out a second Goffe.
Martin Anson then sought to take advantage of the attacking fields and picked up sucessive boundaries off Stanners who had replaced Leighton James. With Risbridger digging in at the other end the Sandford skipper set about rebuilding the innings with a combination of clever placement and big shots. Stanners reacted by returning to Leighton and bringing on the experienced Mark Strong at the other end. It was the latter, who straightened one to have Anson Lbw before he wrapped up the innings by bowling Smith with the total on 153.
Tom Bilyard and Steve Schofield began the reply watchfully against the opening attack of Anson and Risbridger as the ball continued to swing. Tom launched a couple of crunching drives while Stevo took ten off the last two balls before tea 
which was taken with the score on 39 from 12 overs.
After the interval both batmen upped the pace and with Tom dealing mainly in boundaries the stand reached 90, before Tom fell to a stunning caught and bowled by Steve Smith from a drive that looked certain to bring up his 50.
This brought Matt Baggs to the crease. Matt has found his fantasy cricket rating difficult to live up to and was in need of some time in the middle. With Stevo looking solid and accumulating runs at the other end Matt essayed a few aerial shots before moving into his stride on a ground where he scored a memorable hundred last season. The hundred came up in over 28 and nine overs later it was all over with Stevo unbeaten on 58 and Matt on 38, giving Nondies a comprehensive 
nine wicket victory.