EYMET v. ST.AULAYE, Sunday 18th July

Sam Harrell's golden touch with the coin having deserted him, Eymet were

condemned to three hours in the field in 33° heat. Adrian Raynor opened St.Aulaye's account by crashing Nigel Jones for a four and a six in his first over. However, Nigel and Chris Farrell then tightened things up a bit. Nigel removed both Harding boys with slower balls and after 11 overs St.Aulaye were at a crossroads – 45 for 2. Ollie Mawdsley and Raynor stabilized the innings to reach 83 at the halfway mark before young Mawdsley was bowled by the cunning Martin Smith. After that, it was all St.Aulaye. Eymet began to miss Vince Morgan and Marcus Swift , and the heat was beginning to tell on ageing legs. To be fair, Raynor played very well for his century. Hampered by an existing leg injury, he wisely worked the bowling around the field. Anything remotely near leg stump was swatted away with impunity. Without his innings St. Aulaye's other batsmen wouldn't have been able to score so freely or so many. Ex-St.Astier's Irfan Sheik joined Raynor and cut and swung his way to 40. Bill Rhodes then tempted him down the wicket and he was stumped by Sam. Singh and Hossein continued the onslaught and by the 35-over mark St.Aulaye had 197 for 5 on the board. Eymet were facing a potentially huge total. With a last throw of the dice Sam brought on 'new' all-rounder Tom Hinds and invited Mike Gear to have his annual bowl. Cue wickets! Mike bowled two and the stumping of Winford Hicks was one of two victims for Tom. St.Aulaye closed on 224 for 9: a victory of sorts for Eymet given what the total could have become.

Eymet's batsmen had not seen Singh before. Small and nippy, he skidded the ball through at a reasonable pace. Simon Palmer miscued a hook in the 3rd over and Nigel followed a few overs later, undone by an off-cutter. Sam and rock-steady Mike engineered a recovery and at the 10-over drinks interval Eymet had 45 for 2 – parity with St.Aulaye at the same stage. However, Eymet soon became becalmed and Sam holed out with a frustrated drive for 11. At the 20-over mark we had 67 and were behind the clock. St.Aulaye were bowling reasonably steadily but were considerably aided by their youth section – three teenagers and two twentysomethings. Consequently, crucial runs were saved. Tom struck 24, President Tim Smith hobbled out to battle manfully, and Bill brought up the rear with 10 not out. Eymet finished on 166 for 5, but the run chase had been abandoned some time before, 10 an over not really being feasible. As ever "Mr. Reliable" Mike Gear remained unbeaten for a fine 78.

RESULT: EYMET LOSE BY 58 RUNS.

ST.AULAYE 224-9 off 40 overs (Raynor 108 n.o., Irfan 40, Hinds 2-17, Gear 2-19, Jones 2-29)

EYMET 166-5 off 40 overs (Gear 78 n.o, Singh 3-23) EYMET: Harrell, Gear, Palmer, Jones, Hinds, T.Smith, Rhodes, Farrell, Taylor,

M.Smith, Coomb.