The skipper having lost the toss for the 4th time this season Ives were put in to bat on a green early season wicket. Den and Malcolm opened and after a slow start both departed with the score on 24 to be quickly followed by Phil K and Richard with only 55 on the board. A small recovery with Bob digging in for the long term followed but at 82 for 5 a score of 150 looked the best that could be hoped for. Enter the fray to join Bob came Ali in his first game to plunder a quick fire 21 but with his and Saqib ‘s departure, at 114 for 7, a big score still looked long odds. But with Bob still there he was joined by Ciaran in an entertaining 8th wicket stand of 78 that took the score to 192 before both fell, Bob for 72 and Ciaran for 34, and with overs running out a final total of 199 all out which had seemed unlikely an hour earlier.
After tea Andy H and Adrian opened and kept the Arkley scoring in check (aided by some outstanding fielding from Phil K) whilst taking valuable wickets early on in spells of 1 for 22 in 11 overs from Andy and 2 for 32 in 11 from Adrian with catches for Matthew and Malcolm. With the final 20 overs coming up it was the turn of Ciaran and Richard to take over and with further catches for Adrian and Bob, both took wickets in their first over to eventually reduce Arkley from 59 for 3 to 91 all out with10 overs remaining, Ciaran taking 4 for 17 in 6 overs and Richard 3 for 17 in 7.1 overs and a fine win for the Ives.
Man of the Match – Ciaran