Beechwood lost the toss and were asked to bat in this 40 over match.

Beechwood welcomed two old boys back for this fixture namely Chris 'The Gloves' Makin and Graham Rogers.

The pitch looked wet and conditions were overcast and one suspected that it would offer assistance to the bowlers.

Proctor and K Makin opened the batting but Makin quickly departed playing all round a full delivery from George. Warner joined Proctor and both batsmen had to battle against some fine bowling from George and Bates in particular whose first 4 overs went for just 3 runs. Their patience paid off as runs started to come and Bates last 4 overs went for 28 runs including two large sixes.

Proctor was batting beautifully hitting one exquisite cover drive off Bates but some risks had to be taken and both batsmen had their share of luck. Warner was dropped at mid-off and Proctor was dropped twice, once in the slips and once at mid-off but generally they showed good judgment in their shot selection.

Shooters changed the bowling but runs continued to come and Beechwood were now starting to get on top scoring at almost 5 an over at the half way point. Proctor was eventually dismissed for a fine 72 caught attempting a pull shot to the mid wicket boundary and ending a partnership of 137.

Warner soon followed caught at deep mid-off for 59. Robinson and Rogers were now at the crease but Rogers was quickly run out attempting a tight second run.

Robinson was soon caught and C Makin was adjudged stumped. Hill came in and hit a quick 18 not out and Beechwood's innings closed on 184 for 6 when really they should've scored over 200 but still a fine effort in the conditions.

Smith and S Boyce opened the innings for Shooters with C Makin keeping wicket for Beechwood. Early on C Makin attempted a run out but only succeeded in hitting Robinson in the chest who went down as he had been shot but he got up only to be hit in the ankle attempting to stop a cover drive a few balls later. Cowell picked up the wicket of S Boyce caught in the belly by Colin '47 and still going' Robinson at mid on. Smith was next to go caught off Proctor by Adrian 'Oh my toe' Warner whilst smoking a cigar at first slip.

Leech was caught off Proctor again by Robinson who by now had stopped whingeing about his chest. The game was still in the balance with L Boyce and Chapman at the crease. Woodward quickly accounted for Chapman who was caught at backward point by Proctor (the first of five catches he was to take) but L Boyce was continuing to punish the bad ball and with 10 overs remaining the run rate was only just above 6 an over.

Woodward decided to bring on Cooksley but after an expensive first over was forced to rethink. Cowell removed L Boyce thanks to another fine Proctor catch at gully and now Beechwood were in the pound seats. Rogers came back for a second spell and quickly mopped up the tail courtesy of two catches by Proctor and one juggling act by Woodward. Shooters were dismissed for 146 and Beechwood won by 38 runs which was impressive considering how many walking wounded Beechwood had in the field

Proctor was deservedly named Man of the Match and it has since emerged that Warner broke his toe whilst scoring his 59 and will miss the next match. C Makin has since returned to Hong Kong and Robinson for one will sleep a lot easier.

Team: Cooksley, Cowell, Hill, C Makin,
K Makin, McCrea, Proctor, Robinson, Rogers, Warner, Woodward

Shooters Hill Report by Steve "Smithers" Smith

We ventured forth on July 11th with hopes of recording our first win against Beechwood since the corresponding fixture at the late lamented (as far as we are concerned) Otford ground in 2001. Amazingly all of our team were present for the 1.30 start and we decided to field first after winning the toss, not because of the conditions, but because last week we decided to bat first and were bowled out for 84.

Bates and George opened tour attack and bowled a tight line with Bates getting lift from a length on a damp pitch. Makin was the first to go being bowled by a well pitched up ball from George which swung away and was aided onto middle stump by Keith's pad. This brought in Adrian who was very watchful against still tight bowling, a few air shots from both batsmen, but was Adrian really playing and missing or cleverly leaving the ball? One suspects a bit of both, anyway when he gets round to using the full face of the bat (rather than half of it) on the offside he may prove to be even more dangerous a batsman than at present.

At one time the runs were behind the overs bowled, then suddenly a flurry of strokes from Proctor and Warner broke the shackles, and we were beginning to realise the prospect of chasing a score around 150 was rapidly diminishing. It was suggested afterwards that our captain had missed a trick by not bringing on me to bowl at Adrian. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions on that comment. As usual against Beechwood we had chances but were unable to hold them, and in the case of your correspondent the ball from Richard which was heading for my hands at slip somehow evaded them.

Proctor and Warner prospered and put on over a century for the second wicket, unfortunately we only had ten men which made it more difficult to stop the runs. Both batsmen hit some very powerful shots, Adrian's driving being particularly impressive. A number of mishits annoyingly evaded our fielders, but to be fair a number of very well struck boundaries gave our fielders no chance. A score of 200 + was looking on the cards but the drinks interval and later the wily spin of Richard Cunningham held Beechwood to 184, still a very good score but not out of sight, and we were pleased with the way we fought back. Colin Robinson entertained everyone with his usual mixture of frantic running and bellowing calls of "SINGLE SINGLE" and even louder cries of "NO NO". Brad produced the biggest hit of the day, breaking a couple of tiles on the pavilion roof in the process.

Our innings started with the untried opening partnership of Scott Boyce and Smith. It was good to see Chris Makin behind the stumps, playing his first game of cricket for 12 years, you wouldn't have thought that as he quickly got back into the swing of things and looked as good as ever. We lost a wicket after a few overs and our captain of the day, John came in at three, he survived an LBW appeal from Sean which from the non striker's end looked to be extremely fortunate and with a few eccentric forward defensive shots and prods, finishing on one knee he also struck some much needed boundaries, whilst your humble reporter at the other end was frustratingly hitting almost every ball to the fielders, one being especially annoying when Colin stuck out a foot at midwicket, stopping an almost certain four. It was of no comfort to me that this caused Colin much discomfort.

We progressed steadily and Ashley brought about the changes in the bowling, not allowing us to settle down. Richard Proctor removed myself; Adrian taking a catch high to his left at slip, revenge for me bowling him in the first game. Our captain John went for 29 and Scott Chapman playing his first game against Beechwood (wasn't so bad after all was it Scott?) for some time looked dangerous but steered (hit it next time!) a shortish ball from Ashley straight to Richard Proctor at backward point. Newish member Leon Boyce was at the crease with the run rate now up to about 7 an over. We were still chipping away at the total, collecting 4, sometimes 5 an over, but we needed more.

Ashley decided to bring on Steve Cooksley from the pavilion end (short boundary to legside) and Leon took advantage of this hitting the first ball for 6, in total about 16 were hit from this over which brought us right back into the game, not an easy time for Steve to bowl, but now a win looked possible for us as scoring 6 an over from the last 7 is always possible.

Ashley brought back old reliable Sean and not so old reliable Graham and Leon holed out for a well made 59, his maiden fifty for the club. No resistance was made after this and Beechwood won a deserved victory by 38 runs. Mention must be made of Beechwood's catching, only one being dropped to our 3 or 4, all our batsmen were caught and this I feel was the main difference between the sides this time.
Steve Smith

ps. Thanks to Matthew for umpiring.