Report by Daniel Mortlock:
Okay, so we'd played out a few dirge-like losses in miserable conditions, but that doesn't really count - the season really began today, with a dramatic, banter-filled match against Coton played out in glorious sunshine.
Not that the actual match began in quite such an ideal manner: we lost two wickets in the first over, one to the first of the day's absurd run outs. Ev Fox (8), Nick Clarke (14) and extras (an eventual 29) managed something of a recovery, but some good bowling and more bad calling - apologies, Nick - combined to see us slump to 45/6 at the half-way point of the innings. Daniel Mortlock (25*) and Julius Rix (25*) then set about mounting an unlikely rescue mission, eventually putting together an excellent and unbroken 61-run partnership. The shot-making wasn't always textbook, but at least they finally got the calling right, getting most of their runs in quick singles and cheeky twos.
Thus we took to the field with a defensible total, but it would require a top-notch team performance if we were to claim our first win of the season. What we got was something way beyond that. Our second John Young - any suggestions on how to distinguish between the two of them gratefully recieved - bowled a pretty good spell of 1/14 in his first Remnants match, but was overshadowed by Robin Woolley, who produced three near-perfect overs of bouncy wrist-spin, netting 4 wickets for just 5 runs, the best bowling figures for the club this millennium. After Russell Woolf (1/16) got the prize wicket of sometime-Remnant Jim Schwabe with his second delivery, Coton had been reduced to 28/6 off 10 (eight-ball) overs, and it was no longer a question of whether we'd win, but by how much.
The fielders' predatory instincts then took over, as we encircled the pitch and produced some of our sharpest work in some time, seldom giving the batsmen the chance to leave their respective creases, let alone contemplate sorties to the other end of the pitch. Faruk Kara (0/2), James Morgan (1/12, in his Remnants debut) and Nick Clarke (2/3) all continued the good bowling work, although the Coton lower order also struck a few spirited blows to give their total some respectibility.
So, a win at last, and a fabulous come-from-behind thrashing at that. The Coton captain was chivalrous enough to buy a drink for his elated opposite number (not at the helm of a massive loss, for a change), after which things got strangely intellectual, with an in-depth discussion of such lofty topics as why some planets have rings, the names of famous comets, and whether it was Venus or Jupiter which could be seen glowing in the pink evening sky.