Saturday 2nd XI v Shalford (Home) 15-06-2013

Result: Blackheath won by 3 wickets

Blackheath - B Hodges 27* & 3-8

Shalford - K Fagg 23, C Dippenaar 4-40

Blackheath 2nd XI put out their strongest side of the season in windy conditions at The Heath against local rivals, Shalford 1st XI. The wind accounted for the fact that play was held up as the home side's new and expensive electronic scoreboard sailed into the middle of the outfield at one stage (probably not something to mention to the Chairman).

Having won the toss, the home side elected to field. Weston opened from the top end and bowled with pace, accuracy and guile knocking over 3 of Shalford's top 4 in a hostile opening spell and ending on figures of 9 overs, 3 for 17. At first change from the bottom-end, Hodges applied the pressure with a brilliant (and mercifully quiet) 7 overs for 8 runs bagging 3 wickets. By this stage, Shalford were reeling and a wicket from Parrott, two from Hall and a run-out from Weston led to them being bowled out for 104 off 31.3 overs. With the bat, only their number 10, Fagg, shone as drove the ball consistently through mid-off and cover to remain unbeaten on 23.

With only 104 to get, the Blackheath 2nd XI contrived (not to any great surprise to anyone who has followed the team's progress over recent years) to have a spectacular collapse. For some reason, the team prefers to make things hard for itself and at 7 for 3 wickets, the pressure was back on the home side. Dippennaar was outstanding for Shalford and ripped out 4 of the top 7, with Nolan at 3 retiring hurt. At the other end, Fagg picked up a wicket and was replaced by the accurate bowling of Rowe who went at 2 an over and secured the scalp of Baker on 23. At 75 for 7, tension was building but man-of-the-match Hodges in a rich vein of form with the bat bludgeoned his way to 27 not out with the Heath winning off 29 overs.