Pacific got their championship defence off to a bad start when they were beaten again by Grasshoppers - the only team to beat them last year. Bolstered by a set of new players from Highgate CC, Grasshoppers were no less a formidable a side tghan the championship winning side of 2000. And certainly plenty good enough for a weakened Pacific side.
All 4 Grasshoppers bowlers bowled superbly with the new ball, in particular Tennant & Sanderson who enjoyed good bounce & movement on the recently relaid no 1 pitch in Victoria Park.
Pacific openers Lay & Hollman struggled & 23 runs from the 1st 4 overs was not the blazing start stand in Captain Jim Davies had hoped for.
With a need to accelerate, wickets fell at regular intervals with Lay ending top scorer on 23.
The target then looked no challenge at all when Joe Phelan played an exquisite flick of his toes for 4 off Lucius Faisal 1st ball thereby setting the pattern & dismissing fears that Grasshoppers would struggle in the gloom.
The loss of Andy Pearson to a sublime catch to Tim Marshall, a sole shining light in the Pacific fielding, did little to stymie the impression that the better team would win & with 32 balls to spare - at a canter.
VIII P Hollman S Lay T Marshall J Davies* L Faisal M Cowling D Gluckman M Holliday+
Match reduced to 14 overs HG won toss and elected to field
