Earls Colne Versus Copford.  May 26th 2007 at Home

Positioned fourth in the league, but separated from top spot by just half a point, the visit of lowly Copford was just what we needed.  Rob won the toss and elected to bowl on a wicket that had seen some rain during the morning.

TK and Joe Smith opened with a tight line and were as niggardly as ever, and soon wickets started to fall.  Just 40 runs were on the board after 20 overs, with 3 wickets down, and the slide continued as Rob Gibson and Peter Shury continued to pin down a hapless Copford.  However we've been here before, managing to limit Bury to 125 and then spectacularly failing to get the runs just two weeks earlier, so we knew that we needed to keep the pressure on.  Wickets continued to fall, with the only real resistance being shown by Copford's number 3 who accumulated a sensible 50, while at the other end they fell like skittles.  It looked like we might bowl them out for under a hundred with five overs to spare, but they managed to eke out a few more runs and take them into the final over, when TK picked up his fourth wicket with three balls to go, and Copford were all out for 117.

Konopka 4 for 21

A great tea from Jane Smith set us up for a romp towards victory, but would we capitulate like we did against Bury?

The innings got off to a poor start with Oakers and Gwyn Walters back in the pavilion for not very many at all.  However Kevin Williams and Dave Brooker showed how it should be done, romping along at five an over in untroubled fashion, to register an eight wicket victory and a fifty each.  Great result.

K Williams 50+, D Brooker 50+

Copford 117 All out.  Earls Colne 118 for 2.  Earls Colne win by 8 wickets.  Earls Colne 20 points, Copford 2 points

This takes us to the top of the table equal on points with Bury St Edmunds  www.twocounties.com

next game is on Saturday 2 June against East Bergholt, away.  2pm start