Rottingdean Over 40s

SEASIDERS NO MATCH FOR BEECHY

First of all it was just a thrill to be playing. It wasn’t strange or particularly different and a few spots of rain could not dampen the enthusiasm on either side.It turned out to be a game of three quarters with Martlets asked to bat. Neil Bushell and Paul Walker kicked things off on a low and slow track at the pace of an ailing tortoise.Bush was bowled for 7 trying to get on with it and that brought Michael Loveday in with Paul for a tricky (some might say turgid) first 13 overs that yielded just 26 runs.In the 14^th Paul was apparently informed that hitting the ball off the square was in fact permitted under the ECB’s covid regulations and from then on it was a different game. Dave Christmas came in and characteristically upped the tempo with some dynamic running between the wickets and then when Walker retired on 40 Nick Beechy played the most fluent innings smashing six fours and a six off his 38.

After the tealess break John Ashworth and Peter Fielding opened the bowling for us. Once Peter had dispensed with Tony Gilbert who looked like a real threat, he and especially John sucked the life out of their innings. John finished his seven overs with 1 for only 13. After that it was always going to be an uphill struggle.Damien Cashinella chipped in with two caught and bowled wickets and one more catch before Nick polished it off with three wickets in a two over spell that was just two good for the opposition.

A pleasure just to be there but it’s always nice when we win.

Martlets 197-3 from 35 overs

Walker 48 no

Christmas 40 no

Beechy 38 no

Rottingdean all out 96

Beechy 3 for 3

Cashinella 2 for 23

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