Super Start
On a cold blustery day, Eastergate 1st XI started their 2019 campaign at home. Eastergate won the toss and put Goring 2nd XI into bat. Impressively tight bowling from Jack Saunders (6-1-17-0) and captain Pete Smith (6-0-18-1) contained the Goring openers to just 36 off the first 12 overs, with Smith taking a wicket in his last over.
A change of bowling and the ever dependable Jon Dakic (8-2-16-2) continued the tight line. A catch from Rew Reed and bowling another accounted for Dakic's 2 wickets. At the other end Henry Grant (6-3-7-2) was on the money and deserved his 2 wickets with Jack Saunders taking a nice catch at mid-on.
Grant was swapped for the injured but unstoppable Jack Bateman (6-2-17-2) who bowled tidily and could have had a wicket in his 2nd over but the catch fell slightly short of his brother Aaron (if only it had fallen to Jacks twin Ross!!) Smart catches from Grant and Saunders saw Jack finish with two wickets.
At the other end Dakic was changed for Josh Reed (3.4-1-6-3), who last season was keeping wicket. A thick inside edge onto the stumps brought his first wicket and some good straight bowling produced two lbw decisions with some good appealing from John Price behind the stumps.
Goring finished on 84 all out off 36 overs.
The Eastergate openers started in prompt fashion with Aaron Bateman (30no) and Curtis Drake (26) both hitting the ball well and finding the gaps. Drake fell in the 11th over to Geere but Pete Smith (23no) continued with Bateman to reach the required 85 in the 17th over.
A great start to the season and hopefully this will continue!!