United Country & Vineyard Cricket Club (UCVCC) visited the Willows for the first game of their 2023 Canterbury tour which also saw fixtures against the Valley of the Peace and Hawkswood Wanderers. UCVCC was established 7 seven years ago and in 2020 developed a beautiful home ground called Black Cottage in amongst the Vines off the Two Rivers winery in Marlborough, a ground the Willows have now been lucky enough to play at on two occasions.
The match was the 6th fixture between the clubs and held some historic footnotes with UCVCC founder Dave Clouston and Willower John Davidson players in the very first Willows fixture in 1994. It was the first year playing for the Mike Dormer Trophy that Dave Clouston has donated for the fixture and the Ranfurly shield of Kindred Cricket was also on the line, the Chatfield Shield which the Willows had taken from Seddon Cricket Club at Seddon Park under lights in March.
UCVCC won the toss and after the long drive decided to stretch the legs and put the Willows into bat. John Davidson and Nick Gibb got the Willows of to a fantastic start, and it became obvious early that this was a great batting track and fast outfield. Gibb departed for 47 and Davidson hit the ball extremely well on his way to 77. Dan Vann kept the momentum going with a hard hit 73 and at the end of their 40 overs the Willows were 274 for 3.
While a big chase the Willows were aware they would have to bowl well as the conditions were great for Batting. The evergreen Chris Nicholson was a handful for UCVCC bowling 8 overs straight from the Roundhill road end and with figures of 22/1 he had spiked the required run rate. UCVCC were in real trouble at 4/57 until Chris Bartholmeuz was joined by Duncan Anderson and proceeded to put together a 110-run partnership. Bartholmeuz rotated the strike effectively and Anderson was brutal on any bad bowling and while these 2 were together the Vines were a real chance. Finally, the partnership was broken by Hamish Anderson ending UCVCC chances of victory. Anderson kept swinging and while the quick singles were off the table the clean hitting remained with Anderson having a chance to bring up 3 figures in the final over of the day. Needing 2 of the last ball for the milestone, Anderson cut the last ball to the boundary for 4 to bring up his ton, a brilliant effort.
An outstanding day at Loburn, the Willows taking the victory and the home side were aided by some youth in this over 35 fixture so perhaps an asterix goes against this win!