Saturday 30th April 2005
Lodsworth CC v Ebernoe CC at Lodsworth.
Lodsworth CC 143 for 8 (Jon Houghton 87, Graham Braithwaite 30 not out, D Whittington 7 overs 3 for 14).
Ebernoe CC 124 for 9 (D Whittington 37, C Stemp 21, A Read 18, Andy Long 7 overs 3 for 14, Martin Howard 4 overs 2 for 15, Paul Phillips 7 overs 2 for 18, Matt Hall 7 overs 2 for 29)
Lodsworth won by 19 runs.
Lodsworth’s extensive pre-season preparation paid dividends in the first game of the 2005 season – a limited overs friendly fixture against the nearby village of Ebernoe. On winning the toss Lodsworth elected to bat on a soft but true surface and opening batsman Jon Houghton amassed 87 runs in almost 2 hours at the crease. Oxfordshire County Schoolboy Graham Braithwaite ably supported him with 30 not out. The Lodsworth team ended on 143 for 8 off 35 overs.
In reply, Ebernoe lost opener C Rose in the first over but R Stemp and D Whittington established a partnership of 54 to put Ebernoe briefly in the driving seat. Then as the pitch began to cut up they lost three wickets in 15 minutes to put them on the back foot. Lodsworth bowlers Andy Long with 7 overs 3 for 14, Martin Howard with 4 overs 2 for 15 and Paul Phillips 7 with overs 2 for 18 kept up sustained pressure and Ebernoe finished on 124 for 9 off 35 overs, 19 runs short of their target.
Man of the Match Jon Houghton
Bob Powell
Captain Lodsworth CC.