The first fixture of the season has seen some unpleasant weather in recent years, but thankfully for Gore High School (GHS) after an arduous eight hour journey the weather was stunning.

Hamish Cooke, the GHS captain was greeted by Mike with a cup of tea and a handshake, unknowingly that’s all it took for The Willows to secure the toss. On an excellent early season pitch The Willows elected to bat first.

At 33/4 Gore’s opening bowlers Cooke and Hasselmore had us in trouble before J Nuttall and J Barry settled in for a much needed partnership of 99, scoring 64 and 47 respectively. C Bartholomeusz scored a positive 53 not out to bring The Willows to a solid 229/7.

In reply, GHS was 64/3 and the game was evenly poised. Cooke was the stand out with the bat scoring a well compiled 46. However, the experience of A Nuttall slowed the scoring rate and took three important wickets securing figures of 3/20. The asking rate increased steadily, the pressure proving a little too much and the visitors fell short of the required total. This annual fixture was well attended by both friends and family and it is a real pleasure to have on The Willows fixture list. I look forward to playing alongside some of the Gore High School team in the future