Our beautiful new electronic scoreboard was left wanting this morning, as our U11A team, in the pairs format, exceeded the maximum number of wickets the board supports; An immense 12 wicket bowling haul saw our team dominate in the field.

However the dominance started with the bat. Having lost the toss - in interesting fashion according to the players - LipRip were sent into bat. Our captain, Callum Q, sent in Stan and Elliot to see off the new ball. Their instruction from the coach today was to attack the boundary, and that is what they did. The boundaries started raining in, and the Churchers pair posted 39 (Stan 16, Elliot 13) runs off their bats. Second pair Callum (29) and Freddie (9) did not let up the pace, and at the half way mark the home team were just under the 300 mark. Third pairing Doug (4) and Rupert (0) had to manage their way through some more challenging bowling, however kept their heads and stole many byes to add 15 more. And following from Tuesday in Havant, another excellent performance from Esme (18) who, with Wilson (15) demonstrated to the crowd how calling between the wickets is meant to be dome. Finishing with 351 net, and just the loss of one wicket, the team had a very comfortable lead to defend.

Captain Callum (Malcom?!) kept an aggressive, Bazball-esque close in field, strangling Portsmouth's opportunities for singles. With a request for our pace bowlers to just bowl spin today, Cap sent in Freddie to open the bowling. The team huddled in close and conceded just one run in the first. Rupert then bothered the stumps twice in the second for an outstanding double-wicket-maiden. Cap joined the wicket spree, taking two in the third, and Wilson jumped in with a wicket on his first ball to take the wicket tally to 5 by the end of the first pair. Stan delivered as well with superlative spin and wickets of his own. There were run outs a plenty to increase the wicket tallies for all. Special mentions to Rupert for best figures today, and for Elliot who took the keepers gloves from Stan this week and did exceptionally well.

The group has done everything asked of them today. It was pleasing to hear such great support for each other while out in the field. With this team performing like this we are looking forward to some good days ahead for LRCC.

A week off now before Hambledon at home on the 1st! Well done team, very impressive once again.