With regular skipper Matt White absent, stand-in captain Matt Burslem stepped up and led Church Eaton with energy and a bit of luck, winning his second toss in as many games—a stark contrast to White's 0-15 record. Deciding to bowl first against high-flying Kidsgrove CC, Church Eaton aimed to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Moddershall.

Kidsgrove’s openers got off to a flying start, capitalizing on some loose bowling and shaky fielding from Church Eaton.

Gaz Straford was dubbed “Toblerone Hands” by an opposition player after a slight fumble. Ironically, the same player went on to drop three catches himself during Church Eaton's innings, proving that karma has a sense of humor.

Abdullah Mohamed Haseem provided the breakthrough with a sharp caught and bowled, but Kidsgrove kept the pressure on.

The 2nd half of the innings saw Church Eaton much improved with both Dan Smith & Ade Melbourne offering some control.

Henry Smith and Mike Trayte’s excellent death bowling proved instrumental in taking late wickets and putting the brakes on Kidsgrove’s innings, ultimately restricting them to 205 for 8.

Chasing 205, Church Eaton showed a commendable positive intent, with Burslem's pre-match rallying cry of "if we're going to lose – let's lose well" clearly resonating with the team. Burslem himself led from the front with a determined 30 before playing one shot too many, while Henry Smith, promoted to opener, played a composed and confident innings against a strong opening attack.

Dan Smith toiled hard for his 31. Having started to find some fluency in his innings he the hauled out to the deep mid wicket boundary.

However Church Eaton’s lineup displayed resilience, refusing to let Kidsgrove’s bowlers settle. Mike Holdcroft continued to up the run rate in the late middle overs with a speedy 20 before he was caught on the long on boundary.

Will Ross’s brisk 35 also provided a much-needed boost, and Gaz Straford’s perfectly executed on-drive that raced to the boundary was the shot of the day.

Despite the valiant effort, the uneven bounce made the chase difficult, particularly for the wicketkeepers, who had to contend with some tricky deliveries. Kidsgrove managed to pick up crucial wickets at key moments, and Church Eaton ultimately fell around 25 runs short of the target, having still realistically been in the game upto 35 overs before the steep run rate became to tough to match.

Though Church Eaton came up just short, the team’s fighting spirit and positive approach were clear positives. The bowlers, especially Trayte and Smith, showcased their ability to perform under pressure, while the batsmen showed they could challenge one of the league’s top sides.

Looking ahead, Church Eaton can take pride in this performance, knowing that with a bit more luck—and some improved performances —they have what it takes to turn these narrow defeats in victories