A sunny season opener at Catford Wanderers for the 1st XI

Posted 19th April 2021

Old Wilsonians 177, Catford Wanderers 178 for 9 - Catford Wanderers win by 1 wicket

This was an entertaining curtain raiser to the league season with both sides embracing the ethos of pre-season friendlies, namely taking the chance to experiment and giving every player the opportunity to dust off the winter rust. Both sides initially struggled in their respective innings - Old Wilsonians were 45 for 4 and Catford Wanderers 48 for 5, but both recovered, thanks mainly to their senior players, Michael Mitchell for the visitors and Shavaun Cunningham for the home side and both, perhaps appropriately, hit the same score, 65, although the latter had the last laugh as it was his boundary that won the game for his side. Whilst, earlier, not content with taking 3 for 17 when bowling, he then took to wicket-keeping; and successfully
Josh Lawrence (26) had started the OW comeback after that initial slump and he and Mitchell put on 95 for the fifth wicket before the latter graciously retired to allow others time at the crease, a ploy that did not quite work, as they added just 37 more, with Elliott Bettridge hitting a fine 22 not out, Shane Sorrell, 2 for 40 and Navin Panwar, 2 for 24, doing most of the damage in the latter half of the OW innings. And it was Sorrell (26) and Damian Grossett (31) who were the main supporters of Cunningham as the Wanderers got home with 21 balls to spare. Both sides can be pleased with their respective performances on an afternoon where the sun attempted to defy the fact that it is still only mid April.View full the scorecard