Saturday and we take on Goose Green CC a great family orientated club from Wigan, England. The SACC skipper was invited to bat first on this rather warm and pleasant day. Occasionally you wish you had followed the gut instinct and today was one. The Skipper hadn't got his whites on, no rush batting at six, what a false sense of security he was in. Nineteen runs, five overs gone, and the number six batsman required, A disaster with Crompton (2), Ashraf (5), Iqbal (0) and Walker (8) all back in the cabin.

Number three batsman Hafiz on three, and the skipper needing to slug it out against the pacey Goose Green attack. With a little bit of luck and an awful lot of courage the pair took the score to one hundred in the twenty first over, Hafiz (70) had been given the freedom of playing in his more usual flamboyant style and hit the ball straight to deep square leg and was caught nicely by A Ward. Cricket is a funny sport and the one brings two rule came into play, Laundon after playing out a very boring 21 runs from 50 odd balls, left one from Wallace that nipped back more than expected and took a deviation of the bat, caught by the keeper, the same bowler removed Overbury (6) and the last four batsman were left to get the score up to the one fifty mark Wajid (12) Byrne (20) Ahmed (6) and Martis (0*) on his return carrying his bat, the much needed 6 extras gave the home side a very low total to defend, 156.

Tea was taken and John Braithwaite our home umpire decided that thirty minutes would suffice. Has always many praises given and graciously received by Cate in the hut for arranging the spread.

Sporting Alfas were in danger of losing this match very quickly, 156 is a very difficult amount to defend on a track that gives few surprises. Wajid and Ahmed were given the honour of bowling first, both men playing the first match of 2024 for their club. A maiden from both, basically no runs from the first two overs, gave hope that SACC might take the game deep. Which indeed happened, Although a couple of chances fell to the fielders the pair bowled out the fourteen overs that they were allowed for only forty-four runs but sadly no wickets taken.

Would the drink break give SACC a change of luck, Martis and Hafiz took over and Martiz did take out both openers. L Smith for Sixteen and L Ward on twenty-one, he also bowled one that led to a brilliant run out by Crompton, diving to his left, and throwing the ball onto middle stump all in one movement. Bispham (4) calling the run could not believe what happened, has earlier stated the one brings two rule came into play and A Ward (12)  went for a second when Twiss was camped at the other end, another run out, but this time somewhat less dramatic, Martis, who had bowled the ball, only had to control the throw from Iqbal and take off the bails teased the batsman with a fumble or two before destroying the stumps. sixty-eight for four wickets could a very unlikely win be on for SACC. Wallace hit the ball very cleanly and reached twenty-two before mistiming one from Ashraf caught by the keeper, Byrne. J Ward strode out going about his task with the same eagerness that he had used in his bowling spell. Twiss on twenty five and J Ward on twenty nine rode out their luck helped along by a couple of very easy missed chances in the field by SACC players, Getting Goose Green the win in the thirty third over, Man of the Match was given to Josh Ward for his fiery bowling spell, three for twenty three, and equalling the SACC extras column, also ending on twenty nine.

The visitors toasted the win with a few Amber nectars before heading into Albir for yet another night of entertainment, boosting the local businesses weekend.

- Kevin Laundon SACC

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