A huge thanks to you all for making the long journey to Royton tonight.
Thank you to Neil for again sponsoring the match ball and keeping the scorer in high spirits despite the cold.

So what a great toss to win. I think that's three in a row and no-one wants to bat in the dark.
I have always said what a top set of kids these are and their desire to ensure that both teams get to bat in bright sunny conditions was really good of them.

It just felt that nothing was going to go right today as Theo chopped on. He was desperately unlucky. In their innings I watched one of those, just evade the stumps and head of for four runs. Small margins they say......

This leads us to Alf at the stumps with now known as "one of Shaw's own" James. Ten runs on the board for the loss of four wickets. In this situation, I have a couple of stock phrases of encouragement which I'm beginning to dislike saying- let's build a partnership or bat for yourself. In recent weeks these have been acknowledged and then instantly greeted with the bails flying head high at the next delivery. Today however, they did exactly that! Putting on 85 runs to post a respectable 95 and leaving the rest of the lads with pad rash in the sheds.

Easy team talk. You've got a total to defend now don't let yourselves down. 36 extras later and we were on out way home. At least we had let it get dark!

Highlights for me today.......
1. Receiving and replying to a message from Sonya on Pitchero
2. Telling the chairman of the junior committee to sit down and think about his golf day tomorrow (slightly worried about being put in front of a disciplinary committee)
3. Grace, and her newfound role in sports management. I can't wait for her next signing
4. A partnership of 85 between big Alf and new signing James
5. The noise in the field for our first five overs of bowling. I thought the all-around encouragement was excellent
6. Fred's wicket courtesy of James' pre celebrated catch
7. Kav's bowling, where he accepted the ball, and then they couldn't hit him off the square
8. Their rather subdued celebrations because the scoreboard thought they still needed four runs
Unfortunately I have run out of room to do lowlights!

Player of the Match - James (on his Shaw CC Debut)
Match Ball Sponsor - Royton Local - Neil
Many thanks everyone involved

I hope to see a many of you as possible at the T20 tomorrow night. Gratefully accepting your free drink and cheering the firsts on in what should be a great atmosphere!