On a sunny day at Lynchmere most of the Boxgrove team managed to find the ground on time with the notable exception of the skipper, Ben Gottesman, who rolled up well after the game had started despite giving everyone a kick off time half an hours earlier that the scheduled start. As a result Mark Holl stepped into Ben’s shoes and upon winning the toss invited Lynchmere to bat first, much to the disappointment of the opposition skipper who was worried how the pitch might play.

As it happened the pitch played better than feared and Lynchmere got off to a good start putting on 55 or the first wicket. In that time Paul Mant bowled brilliantly but with no reward whilst Langton plugged away. A change was needed and when Mark Holl brought on James Thorpe it happened almost instantly as he removed both of Lynchmere’s openers, the first plum LBW and the second via a good catch from Barrett. Ben Gottesman was brought into the attack and he bowled very quickly and with considerable movement. He was soon in the wickets as Lynchmere began to falter. The impressive Thorpe duly picked up his third wicket clean bowling Charman for 4 but soon afterwards recoiled in pain as he attempted a caught and bowled. He wasn’t to know it at the time but he had sustained a bad break to a finger that would see him out for 6 weeks. Gottesman meanwhile was enjoying himself as went through the Lynchmere order like a hot knife through butter. Two more cleaned bowled and two LBW decisions gave Benno a 5 wicket haul. During that time Holl dislocated and fractured a finger whilst keeping and like Thorpe faced a spell on the sidelines. Both he and Thorpe however battled on in this game and the latter was only latterly replaced by Langton who mopped up the tail with a couple of wickets – the last one via a catch from Thorpe!

At the end of the Lynchmere innings they had amassed 122 all out with Gottesman finishing with 5 for 36 off his 13 overs, Thorpe 3 for 22 off his 12, Langton 2 for 32 off of 10 and Mant none for 23 off an excellent 9 overs.

Given the injuries to Thorpe and Holl there was a change to the batting order but it was irrelevant as Barrett and Thorpe set about the Lynchmere bowlers. Having put on 37 for the first wicket Barrett was bowled by Clark for 15 bringing Tremmell to the wicket. He didn’t last long however and upon backing away to leg was bowled for a duck. That brought Gottesman to the wicket and he and Chamberlain took Boxgrove to verge of an excellent victory. Chamberlain had batted brilliantly to approach an excellent half century and a boundary took him to 48. The resulting applause led to confusion as Chamberlain raised his bat to toast his fifty but when he was soon out caught his elation turned to dismay when he learned he was two short of the landmark. It was irrelevant in the scheme of things however as Gottesman destroyed Lynchmere with an exhibition of big hitting including some sixes out of the ground. He ended with 51 not out to record a memorable half century and 5 wicket haul double whilst Matt Langton was there at the end on 0 not out as Boxgrove won comfortably by 7 wickets.