After a completely drama and stress free week of selection Church Eaton 1’s made the trip to Forsbrook against Hem Heath trying to make it 4 wins in a row. On arrival Melbourne was seen to be poking a massive ablution down the away team dressing room toilets which had apparently sat there since last week. Ade fought tooth and nail to battle it past the u-bend and was thankfully successful, a great early success for the CE dressing room.

Less successful was scorer Trevor’s sat nav, having driven past the entrance to the ground a staggering 47 times, Trev finally made it in place to take up his position just before sunset.
With local campers from Stoke having made the short trip to the next field (obviously having heard Rob “the highlight reel” Hogarth had been selected to play) skipper White won the toss and inserted Hem Heath to bat on a green yet very dry wicket with overhead conditions looking a little ropey.
The highlight reel opened the bowling (having turned up in whites 28 seconds before the start of the game), and bowled with good pace and aggression picking up openier Jack “the colonel” Sanders for 1 to a fine delivery he snicked behind to give Rob a Bargain Bucket of an opening wicket. Giles Bloor next to fall to Rob with a very adjacent LBW leaving HH 18-2.

HH rallied a little with No3 Rogerson peppering the leg side boundary for a well compiled 52 before snicking a wonder delivery from White that pitched 8 foot wide of off stump and took the edge to a well taken catch from Austin behind the stumps. Lovett, who rumour has it competes in Micheal Vaughan from 2005 lookalike completions fell to a short ball from Abdullah, punching the ball onto his stumps and making his was back to the pavilion.

Finn Walley came and went without having made Trevor lose any ink in the score book, before a counter attack from Dan Robinson with a well made 60 gave HH a respectable 156 all out. Hogarth the pick of the CE bowlers with 4-28, White picking up 3-37.

So out to bat came CE. Matt Burslem full of the joys of spring came out all guns blazing, going at a strike rate of 120 before missing a straight one for 18. Mikey Holdcroft opening with Matty scored freely with an important 39 from 38 to see CE off to a good start.

George Burslem and Jordan in next, both playing well, George especially showing good aggression with some flat batted shots before eventually falling for 30 and 21 respectively taking CE to 129-5 seemingly cruising….

A mini collapse ensued with Pedley, Ross and Hogarth falling for 4, 17 and 0 before Abdullah being adjudged LBW to a delivery that was missing both off and leg stump but hitting somewhere in between leaving CE 152-8 still needing 5 to win.
Skipper White (16*) took a gamble and launched Rogerson over the mid wicket boundary into a nearby field to secure the win for CE.
A good win for CE making it 4 in 4 and keeping promotion dreams alive.

Kidsgrove away next week will be a tough challenge, but confidence should be high following today’s win.