The opening game of the season went exactly to plan with runs in the bank and 10 wickets in the locker. 

However, things didn’t run smoothly throughout. 

Rosaneri were asked to bat and Mr Bell and Big Mike made a nice start as the pinks glided effortlessly to 30 odd for no wicket. Then in a dreadful 20 minutes the plan was in tatters as the Nazeing attack had Rosaneri on their knees at 51 for 5. 

Bloater and Jim who often save the day by working in perfect balance rather like Starsky and Hutch came together when the chips were down to put on a record club partnership of a 159 to turn the game totally on it’s head. 

A big total was on the board at tea, but the real hard work of taking all 10 wickets still lay ahead. 

The bowling attack worked like clockwork throughout and the opening pair of Mat and Gareth blasted 3 wickets. Shell was then offered the ball as the only spin bowler on duty and he duly obliged by feeding a few runs and securing a vital wicket. 

Stephen put a recent bad net behind him and bowled superbly to take vital middle order wickets just as it had looked like Nazeing had got themselves in a match saving position. 

With 3 wickets still to claim in only 5 overs the pinks still had it all to do. At this point Rosaneri needed a street wise Huggy Bear like character. 

Step forward Mat Freeman. 

Two superb clean bowled efforts set up a nail biting would we or wouldn’t we last 3 overs. But the street wise Freeman had all the answers and with only one over of the match remaining he uprooted the off stump of the top batsman who had been the thorn in the side to seal victory.  

Hugs all round and a great start to the season.