When you play the good teams you've got to take your chances. This was always likley to be a tough game & so it turned out. A flat track perfect for a batting bully so dropping centurian George early on was not in the script. Never an easy chance Giacco Bridgett did brilliantly leaping to his right in the covers before his elbows jarred on landing. Bridgett did get his man later thanks to a brilliant shy from square following another drop. From tough to sublime. In fact the North Londoners had spilled another 3 or 4 chances & the post lunch ground fielding was not too clever either but the run out lifted spirits & the side came back well to hold LG back "from a score that was completley out of reach to one that was just out of reach". In fact run scoring was not as difficult on this very flat track but the Gnomes did bwol a straighter line & their fielding was so much sharper as their total in itself allowed pressure to build.
Adrian Duthie anchored the innings together well & 2 direct hits including Webley's wicket broke the back of the top order early on. But there was still plenty of batting & ill chosen shot selection aside, the visitors could have run them far closer. Indeed Steve Emmins scored an excellent 36 before being stumped & Justin Roy stranded on 35* when he ran out of partners with a further 11 overs remaining.
XI:- Chris Atkin, Adrian Duthie, Matt Holliday, Peter Hollman, Sammy Purcell, Kurt Rademaker, Jon Webley*, Steve Emmins+, Ian Lay, Giaco Bridgett & Justin Roy.
