3rd placed Cowdrey visited 2nd placed Old Elthamians with the youngest side they had ever put out for a league match. With an average age of 22 and the oldest being 26, Cowdrey's side was unrecognisable to the one that had comprehensively beaten Linden Park the week before. Thomas won his 2nd toss in a row and elected to field first.

2 of the 5 seniors in the side opened, Marsh and Hood, with Thomas donning the keeper gloves. Cowdrey started well, Hood removing opener Bell for 3 with an excellent slower ball. Lockwood joined Mendez at the crease and they punished anything short or wide and moved the score to 55 when Hood again was the man, Mendez plumb LBW. At the other end Mike Tubb replaced the economical Marsh, only going for 17 off his 10 and Tubb immediately made an impact, finding the edge of Lockw ood's bat to be caught one handed to his right by stand in keeper Thomas. Wonderful catch but Smithy was there with open hands waiting for the ball to reach him. If it had gone down there would have been hell to pay! And straight away at the other end Hood removed young Jack Green, again LBW and Cowdrey were on top, OE 63-4. This was soon 83-5 when Hood bowled his 4th victim, Appleyard for 17.

Patel was joined at the crease by skipper Alger and, both being left handed, the Cowdrey bowlers struggled with their lines. Hoody bowled out, 15 over 4-52 and was replaced by Geoff, who had been warming up for the last 12 overs! He and Tubb strayed down legside too much, which played to Patel's strengths and the score had moved to 116 when Hood dived to his right to catch Alger off Tubb. 13 overs to go but Cowdrey couldn't build on that success, still bowling leggy to Patel who had only played 1 off side shot so far. New batsman Cook played his shots and together they brought up the 150.

Connolly finished his 7 over spell and Marsh returned from the other end. Tubb was still going up the hill and had Patel dropped on the boundary by Smithy. OE had moved the score onto 193 when Cook retired hurt and eventually finished on 197-6, with 46 coming off the last 6 overs. Cowdrey left the field a bit disappointed as they bowled and fielded better than that but extras cost them again, 21 wides, but only 1 bye!

With no Scotty this week, Marsh was promoted to opening with Smithy after an excellent innings last week. This was in vain though as he was caught pulling in the 2nd over for a quack with the score on 9, all wides. Smithy was soon to follow him, caught in the slips after a couple of glorious shots, Cowdrey 2 down for 23. Skipper Thomas in at 4 to join Inzy and after a quick chat - "no silly shots, we need to be here for the next 10 overs" - Inzy gone caught behind playing a big coverdrive. Gra Nich in at 5 and he played well but Thomas was next out caught behind for a duck, Cowdrey 32-4. This was nearly 32-5, newcomer Owain Button dropped at first slip first ball. The OE openers of Yousef and young Jack Green were bowling well on a pitch that was still seaming around.

But Gra was next to go, caught skying a shot off Green. OE were now deep into the Cowdrey tail and, after 5 overs without losing a wicket, Cowdrey lost 2 in 2, first Jason Carver for a duck, then OB, Cowdrey in trouble 44-7. 197 looked a massive score now, as did 125, which would be the first batting point.

George Apps and Hoody recovered the situation somewhat, George playing some lovely cover drives and they put on 27 in 8 overs. But disaster, George called Hoody through for a tight single behind square but Hoody's bad knee couldn't get him in and he was run out for 12. George20obviously felt guilty as he followed 2 balls later skying a catch off Cook. Cowdrey 9 down and it wasn't long before their humiliation was complete, Connolly waiting until he was half way down the track before calling Tubb through but he was well short of his ground, run out for 0. Cowdrey ended up 76 all out.

Even with a weak team Cowdrey were no match for a competitive OE team who had the best bowling attack Cowdrey had faced so far this season.

Next were the top team Chislehurst, lets hope some adults will be available for Cowdrey for that fixture.

ST