ST.AULAYE v.EYMET, Sunday 8 June

The tradition of getting lost on the way to St. Aulaye continued as one or two Eymet map-readers struggled to locate the picturesque ground. On arrival for this league game they found that umpire Stephen Harrison had brought in the boundary on one corner to exclude the quagmires that lurked after weeks of unrelenting rain and that the hosts could only field nine men. On winning the toss it was the turn of St. Aulaye's batters to struggle against Nigel Jones and Alan Coombe. Somehow they negotiated the first 10 overs reaching 27. An over later Nigel made the breakthrough bowling a frustrated Tim Williams. Marcus Swift then got in the act and needled away at St. Aulaye's middle order. He returned 4 for 24 including swishing top-scorer Azhar, well caught off a steepler by the safe fireman's hands of Martin Smith. Off 20 they had posted 57 for the loss of 6 wickets. Their innings folded soon after. First David Horlock executed a smart stumping off Mike "Swinger" Stratford, then Alan cleaned up the tail.

As the sun finally made an appearance David and Simon set about the St. Aulaye attack. Wayward line and length were promptly punished and the target was attained after only 11 overs. Both openers delighted their colleagues with masterful cutting square of the wicket.

So another win in the bag. But this season it's either "match abandoned" or "won by 10 wickets" (if we forget the Bordeaux blip) which means not many batters are getting to the crease before the crucial games to come.

RESULT: EYMET WIN by 10 wickets: St.Aulaye 74 (21 extras) all out off 27 overs (Azhar 30, M.Swift 4-24, N.Jones 2-15), Eymet 77-0 off 11 overs (D.Horlock 37* S. Palmer 26*)

*Not out

Next match 15th June v Bordeaux (Home)