A new chapter of the club’s history today, as Rob captained the side for the first time, thanks to Crossy’s suggestion of Rob for VC at the AGM. What a side it was though, virtually a first choice XI.

Paul always says "tails never fails", but he hardly has the greatest calling record, so heads it was as the coin glinted in the sun. Tails it was as the coin hit the floor. The fine tradition of crap tossing continues. Crossy’s idea of sending in a "pinch tosser" a couple of years back still seems a good one!

SB/BJ only had 9 so elected to field, and Rob and Jamie opened up and put together a solid start on a low slow pitch, with the ball not coming on at all. This was Jamie’s undoing as, on 18, his tongue came out and the ball went 200 feet in the air, being caught at mid off. Typical Crossy buckling of swashes ensued, as did a few Cameo’s (you know, red codpieces, crap shades) from virtually all the order. Only Dean missed out with 2. Everyone got in (6 scores in the teens proves this), but then everybody bar Jamie got out (6 scores in the teens proves this). End result 158 after 40.

As skip, you hope for a good start with the ball from your bowlers. Alec and Andy gave this in spades, with an excellent start, both pitching the ball well up, beating the bat, and finding the edge. Unfortunately, the ball either fell where a fielder wasn’t or was dropped. More on this later. When Smudge and Benno came on, the fun really started. Smudge bowled as well as most people had seen since Loughborough last year, pacey and an excellent line, generating chances, only 1 of which was taken. At one stage, he was bowling left arm over to 2 slips, 2 gullies and a fly slip! Several half and genuine chances went too fast, fell short or flew wide of the fielder. Benno from the other end generated even more reasonable chances with a super display of left arm round spin, but he too was a little let down by the quality of catching. The quality of piss poor hand eye coordination was excellent though. Steve got increasingly and justifiably frustrated, but it all came right in the end, in an unprecedented 9^th over and he finished with 2-??. A just reward. Scottie polished the tail off with some super medium pace dibbly dobblies, and Deano bowled 2 overs largely in the batsmans half. Good effort the both of them.

Rob’s first game as skip ended in a comfortable victory, with good batting, excellent bowling (as good as we’ve seen in a long time) good ground fielding, but frankly atrocious catching.

Catches win matches indeed.