The highly anticipated annual fixture between The Willows and LNZCC lived up to its reputation as one of the classic grudge matches, as the LNZCC team turned up with a healthy contingent of notable Willows members.

With a heavy dew covering the outfield and delaying the start of play, the captains agreed to shorten the fixture to forty overs. The Willows won the toss and batted, leaving a tough job for the LNZCC opening bowling pair of Middlemiss and Edgerton-Till to bowl with a piece of soap. A solid start from Willowers McDonald (25) and Waind (22) set the scene. J Richards (37) carried us through the middle stages with some glorious drives and the innings was finished off with style by R Cutts (26 not out) and R Dunne (26 not out). The Willows scored 201/6 from their forty overs.

Set a rate of five an over, the LNZCC openers of J Middlemiss and K Scott got the visitors off to a cracking start. Relishing the flattening track and a now dry and fast outfield, they were well on track seeing off the opening bowlers and reaching 59/0 after 15. The introduction of spin quickly put the brakes on and the LNZCC wheels started to fall off. All of a sudden they were 66/4 and the pads could be seen flying around on the deck. The chief destroyers were R Cutts, N de Maine and J Richards who was unplayable, bowling five overs 3/8. LNZCC succumbed and were all out 127.