Sunday saw the Ploughmans boys head to Grace's for a friendly fixture. The toss was won by Ploughmans and it was decided a 'timed' game was to be played as opposed to an 'overs' game.
Feeney and the irritable, loud "Britto" opened the batting and made a slow start against the bowling of Shofiq, who bowling from the motorway end took Feeney's wicket, adjudged LBW, in a spell of 10 overs for 21 runs. At the other end, Dekock bowled 6 overs for 9 runs with four maidens to tie the opening batters down. Ploughmans scored 12 runs from the first 10 overs. Ridgway stepped to the crease and made batting look easy with an utterly enjoyable display of well selected strokes for the highest score of the day (67), whilst Britto's wicket fell when he tried to hit the ball into next week and was caught by Bielby off the bowling of Rice for just 6 runs - a shot perhaps borne of frustration. Rishafi then bowled magically taking the wicket of Ridgway, and then cleaned up the middle order with 5 wickets for 28 runs. Shofiq took a further 2 wickets ending with 3-31 to leave Ploughmans all out for 160. Game on!
After Grace's great win against London Fields, the confidence was high, but the pitch was Mill Hill, and the bowlers were league bowlers. Camberwell was out LBW for a duck to the swing bowling of Ashton, protesting the ball was going down leg side. Stockinger was bowled for 9, and Swinburne was bowled for 2. Grace's were in trouble. But not as much trouble as Ashton had in mind - he took a further 4 wickets to clean up the middle order, with Rishafi (he nicked it) the only man to remain not out. Ploughmans felt he nicked it and he should have walked, but the umpire never gave it, and he never walked, so we will never know. All part of history now. Grace's were all out for 109, Rice smacked two tasty fours, but eight wickets fell to Grace's players being bowled on our own pitch. Mill Hill never plays well early season. This was a point in case. Ploughmans were aggressive in the field considering it was only a friendly game, but we play them again later in the year and we hope we can gain our revenge.