Dorchester won the toss and elected to bat.

Weather - warmer and closer than it looked, quite nice by the end (if you were batting certainly)

Back we went to the scene of 1999's car crash and 2000's toiling in the field for 40 overs only to watch torrential rain at tea. What would this year hold?

A bit short on the bowling, minus Benno, Andy and Smudge, and with Skip (and VC on holiday), we unanimously agreed in the pub last week that Alec should celebrate his 100th game for the mighty DCC by being vice vice captain. Bet he regrets that now.

LCOBCC had a mix of 1st, 2nd and youth teamers in, and Alec began in fine style, turning up on time, having a crafty fag and winning the toss. Crossy wimped out, er, turned down opening, and Rob and Steve Gaunt went out there, on a day that looked colder than it was. Steve quickly looked to dominate and Rob looked to get the ball off the square, but Steve went down early to a shot he'll not want me to describe here. In comes Crossy and after a slowish start, got going. Rob amassed 28 despite not really looking entirely in form, but hit a few nice boundaries before his feet were mysteriously superglued to the pitch mid-over. Well that's what it looked like anyway..... The pitch was playing a little interestingly to say the least, low and fizzing, often in the same over. Ben came and went too quickly to a disputed catch, but in came Dean, and our 2 best looking (in a cricket sense) batsmen then both went on to play themselves to a good 50 each, Dean in particular, looking in good touch. When you get 7 out against Eastwood, I would imagine he's the last sight you want to see. Both went soon after 50, and by the end we had a respectable 180. Unfortunate play of the innings was Dave Spencer's run out first ball without facing it! Minus 10 in the worst possible way. Having sussed that no-one had got to 200 on the ground this year in 40, we were quietly confident...

Tea was a quality 14+er, and we went out full of the joys of spring (and cake). Adam and Dad opened it up and started well. That's when it all started to go wrong.... A succession of dropped catches and the more than odd piece of poor ground fielding led to a situation where it looked for all the world like a 10 wicket defeat was on the cards. Finally a wicket fell, but it was too little too late, and we lost by 7 wickets. Hardly a chanceless knock by the 2 openers, but poor fielding let us down for 30 overs solid, it seemed. Pick of the bowlers were Adam and Dean, and everyone bar Crossy got a chance to bowl and get tonked, but the highlight was undoubtedly Rob's football skills with the ball after one over, which resulted in a badly sprained ankle and the best laugh all day for the DCC players. (As I sit typing this, its come up like a balloon, honest lads)

Well done to LCOBCC, and especially to Mr Williams, 104 n.o. Not bad for a bowler. There's always next year.