Sunday 11th May 2008 away to Basingstoke & NH 

Another day that began with a certain amount of trepidation, an inexperienced 
side taking on the might of Basingstoke on their own patch. 

The day started ok, after a negotiated decision that allowed Basingstoke
to bat first, Swift and Cordery set about the Basingstoke batting order. 
Cordery struck the first blow followed shortly afterwards by Swift’s opening 
salvo removing the Bas number 3. Cordery then removed the dangerous middle 
order by way of a Swift catch at slip and another bowled victim. That 
concluded the wicket taking though drops from Swift and Cordery costing 
Terry (J) his first wicket of the season, didn’t assist the cause greatly 
as the Basingstoke 5th wicket pair moved serenely through to an unbeaten 88 
partnership as Basingstoke declared at 220-4.

Any plans at an assault on this total were quickly shelved after Hooper had 
calmly played his way through the first over, first ball dismissals for Poole 
and debutant Owen rather too quickly followed by the dismissals of Appleton (P) 
and Wilson left the well crafted plans in tatters. Swift joined Hooper to 
attempt to restore some order to proceedings and moved the score forward to 59 
before Hooper was caught behind for 8. Swift followed shortly afterwards for 47 
with the score on 68. The little and large partnership of Morris and Terry (J) 
moved the score on as we crossed the threshold of the last 20 overs and the 
outside chance of survival and rescuing a result from a disastrous position. 
Morris perished for 10 with the score on 89, still some way from respectability 
let alone survival. Cordery joined Terry and the fight was on. Terry taking 
command of the situation almost daring Cordery to be the first to make a mistake. 
As the quicker bowlers came on, Terry, showing maturity beyond his years with 
a mixture of contemptuous leaves of wide deliveries and the piercing of the 
offside field with a succession of cover drives moved calmly along to 32 with 
barely 3 overs to survive. After swish at a full ball from the leg spinner, 
Terry went to the well once to often and was caught at midwicket leaving Cordery 
with the unenviable task of seeing the last two batsmen through the final few 
balls of the innings to survival. Cordery left No.10 Leonard with 1 ball to face 
of the 18 over of the last twenty, this was sadly a bridge too far as Leonard 
promptly plopped the ball straight into mid off’s hands to become the third golden 
duck of the innings. This brought Ince, Rotherwick’s last hope. to the wicket. 
Cordery successfully saw his way through the penultimate over of the innings 
improving his score to a solid 18 not out in trying circumstances. Ince was to 
face the final six balls of the innings with his nervous teammates watching and 
hoping, Ince swept the first ball of the over off middle stump to backward square 
leg for a two. Then calmly proceeded to work his way through the final five balls 
and claim the glory of a well earned and hard fought draw.

A great weekend to start the season with many positive signs for the forthcoming weeks