A double header against Bourton Vale saw the first cricket of the season, and despite the weather, both games were completed!

The 1st XI were at Dairy Lane and when Powelly decided to lose the toss on a wet one, things could have got tricky! However, Nigel Stanton and Pete Boorman opened the season with and the innings with a stand of 101. Stanton was finally caught for 61 (having apparently been dropped 2.5 times previously!) Nick Holland followed for 5 soon after but Adam Stuart then joined Boorman and they added a further 124 for the third wicket. Boorman was finally run out (tired!) for 87, but with Stuart finishing with 75 not out, Dumbleton posted a highly competitive 244-3 off of their 40 overs.

In reply, Bourton were always up against it. Ben McHardie-Jones bowled a very tight spell taking 2-30 off his 10 overs, Paul Engelbrecht also taking 2-44. Stanton was again in amongst the action taking two spectacular catches and taking 1-15 in 4 overs. Bourton finally succombed scoring 190-8 off of their 40 leaving Dumbleton victorious by 54 runs.

The 2nd XI travelled to Bourton and having won the toss, skipper Bucket inserted the opposition. Mark Rennie proceded to make the easiest caught and bowled look like it was travelling quicker than the space shuttle, but a flurry of early wickets left the home side reeling on 78-7, Bertie Thompson taking 2-15, Simmo taking 2-30 and Henry Prudden taking a couple of wickets. Enter Bourton's number 8, who after smacking Bucket out of the ground then teed off putting on nearly a hundred for the 8th wicket leaving the Dumblies needing 182 for victory.

In reply, Dumbleton lost Sharpie e-doors for 4 (a very good 4 though!) but when Piessy and Greid had added 52 the visitors were crusing at 78-1. Greid promptly fell for 26 trying to smack the slower bowler as usual and, when Bertie followed soon after, Dumbleton were in a tight spot at 84-3. Piessy was still there though, and with Rens, they added 72 for the 4th wicket taking Dumbleton to within sight of victory. Rens eventually fell for 15, lobbing a long hop to mid off, but Piessy saw the Dumblies home finishing with 96 not out and with 8 overs to spare, a nice 6 wicket victory to start the season!

Sunday saw the first XI fixture against Cranham cancelled as the oppo couldn't rustle up a side. The 2nd XI travelled to Great Rissington, where, after a very nice time at the Lamb Inn, Hoppy lost the toss and we were stuck in, his first mistake of the day! Some tight bowling and pretty non descript batting saw the Dumblies capitulate to 77 all out, with only Sam Hopkins providing any real resistance with 31. The innings was marred by Matt Vennor having to leave the pitch on two occasions, the result of a heavy Saturday night, and the old technicolour yawn coming into play!! Skipper Paul Hopkins, hiding at number 10, committed his second faux pas with a first ball duck!

After tea Dumbleton put up some sort of resistance, Matty 'Smurf' Harvey taking two wickets, but Rissington coasted home to an 8 wicket victory. Hoppy was once again in the thick of it though, this time bowling a 13 ball over consisting of 8 wides in total, not a pretty sight!!

A game best forgotten, especially by the skipper!

JC, your thoughts are welcome!