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Rowlands faced new team Black Widows in the first round of the cup. Stand in skipper Roy won the toss and elected to bat at Whitley Bay CC. Bob Tulip with typical aggression and Colin Thornton with typical caution started off for the visitors on a very suspicious pitch. Bob hit a 4 and then got caught picking out square leg for 5. In came Roy and with Colin they plugged away with good running against a varied attack. The pick was pacy Ian Dunn with 3-0-21-0. They moved the score from 17-1 to 96-2 when Roy, immediately following a big six was caught for 37 (4 fours and a six) in the 12th over. Next in was the born again Sunil who showed some classy shots for 19 (3 fours) before Robbie, in his enthusiasm for the suicidal, ran him out. Meanwhile, mainstay Colin had amassed 37 with 2 fours before being bowled by a straight one. Robbie scored a quick 13 not out with 2 fours and Ian Younger came in late for 1 not out with Gary Hall padded up. 154-4 was a good score on a dodgy wicket with Roy grateful for Bob Tulip's ice pack on the forearm!
In reply, the very keen Black Widows came out with guns blazing and six hit Robbie in the first over with both barrels! At the other end, new recruit Bob Wilson bowled straight and more economically. He took 2 wickets in each of his first 2 overs and completed with an impressive 4-1-13-4 - all bowled centrally. Robbie bowled on to take 4-0-27-2 as he improved and homed in on the stumps at least twice. Change bowler Don claimed the leg stump with his first ball, the arm ball that zipped through! Widows were realing but kept up the aggression with a big target in sight. Thanks to catches by Bob Wilson and Colin Thornton, both well placed at mid on and mid off, Don achieved 3-0-30-3 with Gary Hall taking the other wicket thanks to a catch by Bob Tulip and claiming a respectable 2-0-14-1 with Roy not needed this time. Behind the stumps, Bob Tulip left the scene with sore hands from Robbie's varied bowling but Ian Younger stepped into the breach well and stopped most of the traffic. Widows at 88 all out left Rowlands the ones in the black! Victory was by 66 well earned runs. All the Rowlands lads fielded well.
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