As was the case the previous year, the Willows batted first after losing the toss on a typically (this summer anyway) grey morning at Loburn.

With the pitch looking very green our top order found it difficult for the first 30 overs to progress the scoring rate any more than 3 an over. D Grimes for Nelson was especially tidy bowling out his 10 overs for a miserly 15 runs and could justifiably be miffed at only picking up one wicket.

As is often the case in a game like this, one, significant partnership can be the difference between an average score versus a competitive total, and in Martin Kelly and Peter Younghusband their partnership of 103 gave us a solid platform on which to build a competitive 214 for 6 in our 50 overs. A. Baxendine the Nelson skipper, bowled very well with 2 for 30 off his 10 overs.

So with runs on the board the ‘skip’ was confident with a well balanced bowling attack the Willows could defend this total. Nelson College had a promising start with opener G. Black 29 and J. Pugh a solid 30. But once this partnership was broken, all our bowlers contributed with wickets and in the end Nelson College was dismissed for 127. Our slow bowlers Riley Wilson with 3 for 33 and Hamish Robertson 2 for 24 were very effective with their flight and turn, and Sam Baxendine bowled with good pace and was rewarded with 2 for 15 in his spell.

As usual, the boys from Nelson were exemplary in their behaviour and presentation at the ground and with fielding such a young side I would expect they will be a real threat over the next two or three seasons.