Despite being told by his team to call ‘tails’, captain Grout called ‘heads’ and lost the toss.
Alan Sheppard and Harvey Graham opened the batting for the Fourth Team and it was the former who started the better as he found the cover boundary at will in the opening few overs. Graham batted patiently early on and he then started to go through the gears showing his full range of shots and his undoubted class with willow in hand.
The opening partnership was broken when Mazhar Hussain clean bowled the impressive Sheppard for 32. The dismissal brought James Wheeler, who after taking a few balls to get off the mark, peppered the offside boundary as he made a brisk 38 before the rains came. Graham was dismissed for a very good 32 a few overs before rain ended the contest with the Fourth Team well set at 106-2.