It took a long time in coming, but we have finally beaten the Cotswolds on their home patch.
This year had a slightly different feel to it with the pinks being perfectly prepared and less tense. There was also a great team spirit with everyone clear on the job that they had to do.
The home side won the toss and decided to insert Rosaneri.
Things didn't get off to a great start as Slaps was given caught behind very early on, but Ian came in and soon settled in to a rebuilding mode.
Marcus put in a great supporting shift and was unlucky to get out to a non Marcus shot just as he looked set for a big score.
Coxy then came to the crease and played probably his best innings for the club as he mixed tight defence with expansive shots on the bad balls.
A mini collapse though knocked the stuffing out of the pinks and all of a sudden a total of even 140 was looking a long way away.
However, Mat and Sinders got their heads down and through gritted teeth hauled Rosaneri back into the contest.
Mat played some lovely strokes and ended up 34 unbeaten.
At the conclusion of 40 overs Rosaneri had amassed a respectable 165.
Some travelling Rosaneri fans though were already looking to Dunmow next week, but Captain Marcus and his troops were far more confident of making a game of it.
The team talk and the fielding positions were smart and the players were totally focussed on delivering a victory.
Slaps and Coxy were stationed on the boundary on opposite sides of the ground and they both patrolled their “Area's” better than the SAS could have done. No buggar was going to get through unless they were driving a tank, and even then I think our special ops boys would have found a way of stopping them !
Stephen grabbed a wicket in the first over thanks to a superb Freeman catch and Jim followed up in the 4th over with another.
Reducing the home team to 14 for 2 off 4 overs was a great start, but Jim and Stephen were not finished yet. That score very soon turned into 21 for 5 and the game was effectively over.
The RCC bowling and fielding machine kept on performing at full speed until The Cotswolds were on their knees at 63 for 9.
There was a mini revival at the end, but Mat came into the action to wrap things up and give Rosaneri an emphatic 75 run victory.
Ian's performance behind the stumps was immense with the major highlights being two stunning catches at ankle height and a David Bryant like bowl out run out at the bowlers end.
This truly was a great team effort and something that the club can be proud of as not only was it a great victory, but also a victory that came in the right spirit.