Ealing CC 2nd XI vs Finchley 2nd XI

In the first round of timed games, Ealing hosted bottom of the table Finchley to Corfton Road.

Following a week’s worth of heavy rain, the pitch looked damp and bowler friendly. Imperative to win the toss then - no such luck.

Asked to bat, lengthy discussions about how to play on dodgy ones ensued. And how the top order didn’t do what had been discussed.

At 6-3, the classic village cricket shout “a quick game is a good game” was echoing around the changing room. Minus a counter attacking 30 from Glasper, and a solid 17* for Faraz, Ealing offered less strength with the bat than a plywood bridge and ended up 105 all out from just 34 overs.

The E-men needed early wickets and although Glas removed one opener, Finchley’s 1 and 3 (who apparently usually keeps in the 4th XI) guided the away team to 41-1 from 13.

Up steps the world’s angriest Kiwi, Guy Rowley. A treble wicket maiden swung things back into Ealing’s hands.

With little else happening from the rest of the bowling quintet, and all the time in the world, the Finchley batsmen saw their team home to a (semi)comfortable victory.

A disappointing loss, especially to a very weakened Finchley side; the boys look to bounce back against Shepherd’s Bush next week.