PAPAMOA COMBINED B GRADE SIDE TOPPLE TOP RESERVE GRADE TEAM.

On a fantastically beautiful Sunday PCC played our first ever game in the McNaughton Trophy against the current top of the table WBOPCA reserve grade side Singh XI.

After a delay in the toss caused by the opposition arriving only 15 minutes prior to the start of play PCC we inserted. The loss of the toss proved vital in our success as the first over saw the ball keep very low.

Leading club run scorers Aaron Barbour (19) and Andrew Goldsmith (36) started solidly putting on 50 for the first wicket.

Scoring was tough and was restricted by cunninging unorthodox slow bowling. At the half way point we were 70/1. Immediately post the break we lost Barbour. Mark Divehall (36) joined Ryan Balsome (49*) and quickly put on 52 before Divehall was strangled down the leg side. Matt Short(17*) and Ryan Balsome put on a further 54 runs to see PCC through to 176/3 from their 40 overs. At half time we thought we were competitive but needed to bowl and field well.

The second half could not have started better with Sean Crotty pegging their opener plumb in front first ball. This set the tone with Guy Wilkson at the other end hitting a consistent full length. A procession of tidy tight bowling followed through the middle with Marc Rolleston producing an absolute peach to remove the Singh XI's best batsman. Returning for a second spell Danny Pokai picked up 3 quick wickets to snuff out any resurgence the Singh XI had to offer.

With wickets falling at 0, 19, 33, 44, 67, 76, 107, 107, 120 the Singh XI never got any partnerships going and were strangled out of the game by some accurate stump to stump bowling.

S.Crotty 5-0-2-19
G. Wilkins 7-1-1-28
D. Pokai 5-0-3-10
M. Rolleston 6-1-2-23
A. Borbour 3-0-0-13
R. Collins 6.4-0-2-24

Great oldschool game of cricket. And fantastic effort getting 3 teams together to put in a great team performance.

Roll on round 2 against MMCC.