Rolfe Century Leads Second Team To Victory

Opener Scott Rolfe (pictured), playing his second game for the club was still there on 31. He carried on with an excellently paced innings, his first fifty coming from 65 balls, his second from 41 balls and his final 26 runs from just seven balls. He defended when necessary, but when the ball was short it was punished through or over midwicket and loose balls on the off side were cut powerfully through point.

The 14th of his 18 fours was another lofted leg side shot which brought up his century and five balls later a similar but stronger shot went for six to bring up the Second Team victory and leave Rolfe on 121. He was well supported in an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership of 153 by Toby Wastling who also paced his innings well. He profited particularly from the cut shot backward of point but brought up his first league half century since August 2017 in 67 balls with a straight drive to the boundary.

In dismissing Amersham for 224, the wickets were shared amongst six bowlers, but Tom Weymes was dominant with 4-57. He removed opener Acheen Rajapaksa as he lofted the ball to Sam Masters at mid on in his first spell and then returned to mop up the tail with 3 wickets for 14 runs, bowling with too much pace for the lower order.

Nick Grant took the first wicket as Joe Shuttle inside edged the ball on to his stumps after a solid opening partnership of 49. Paul Orton took the third with his second ball as Oliver Haddock played across the line of a straight delivery for his off stump to be knocked back.

Chris Fleming top scored with 63, but Wastling dismissed him at the third attempt. After having him dropped on 46 and then 54 he top edged a skier to mid wicket for Rolfe to take the catch. Brent Fleming was next to go as Rolfe bowled him second ball and then Matthew Chapman cut Lawrence Snookes to Wastling at backward point. This was during a spell as the Second Team came back into the game taking three wickets for 24 runs before the reintroduction of Weymes.

The Second Team move up from fifth to fourth in the table overtaking Amersham who were third.