DROUGHT, what drought? Was probably the question most asked by cricket groundsmen last week as regular rain showers – some very heavy ones – had made pitch preparation very difficult.
Whilst every effort had been made to try and keep the wicket dry during the week, it took some sterling work at Leighton Buzzard’s Bell Close Ground in order to ensure their first game of the season, a friendly fixture against Metropolitan Police Bushey, could start on time.
With weather conditions varying between bright sunshine and black clouds, Antony Francis won the toss for Leighton and opted to field first. He used the game to give seven of his bowlers some early competitive practice.
For the visitors, opening batsman Hamilton (36) and skipper Mazurek (33) made useful contributions and while others made reasonable starts they did not go on and contribute a significant score to the total.
Town’s bowlers always seemed in control and the visitors were bowled out for 149 – the wickets being shared by six of them.
The tea interval included a sharp rain shower and when Leighton started their innings Tom Light was an early victim trapped leg before wicket by Hamilton for 4.
Chris Thompson and Phillip Whatmore then played patiently for a number of overs before the runs began to flow, with 35 runs coming from four overs.
Just when Town were looking good at 53-1, there was another deluge and play was suspended for 45 minutes.
When play resumed it was clear that Leighton would need to inject some pace into their innings to achieve victory as the storm clouds gathered again.
And the runs certainly did flow – Thompson and Whatmore put together a 129 run second wicket partnership. The latter was eventually caught on the boundary for 70 which included two boundary 4s and seven 6s.
Thompson carried his bat through the innings for 69 not out which included six boundary 4s and four 6s as Leighton closed on 154-2 for a comfortable eight wicket victory.