On one of the best days of the year, weather-wise, Saturday June 8th, Ross First XI entertained Avoncroft CC at The Park, with a much-changed team from last week's success at Stourbridge Social.

On winning the toss, the Avoncroft skipper Dave James elected to bat first on what looked like an ideal batting track. The Ross bowlers were going to have to work hard for all their wickets and the fielders were going to have to be on their toes as the sun continued to beat down. In the 11th over, with the score on 54, Ross claimed their first wicket when Bruno Warwick had Sam Hughes (34) well caught by Jack Evans at Point. In the very next over Ross youngster Josh Element claimed his first ever first team wicket when he had Avoncroft opener Matt Hare (15) caught by Harry King at Square Leg. Avoncroft's Craig Hughes and Dave James moved the score on to 114 before James Tiffen claimed his first wicket of the day when he had Hughes (28) caught in the deep by skipper Stuart Mair. The score had moved on to 137 when Tiffen claimed another wicket. This time James (41) was brilliantly caught by Bruno Warwick in the deep. More wickets continued to fall and the Ross fielding was making it difficult for Avoncroft to increase the scoring rate. James Tiffen claimed his fifth wicket of the day when he clean bowled Carpenter (3). The Avoncroft innings finished on 238 for 8 and James Tiffen was the pick of the Ross bowlers, with figures of (16-1-55- 5).

After the tea interval, Ross got off to the worst start imaginable, with three wickets falling in the first three overs. With the score on 16, the fourth wicket fell when Jim Lewis was bowled by Ben Warwick, this brought Harry King to the wicket to join Jack Evans and they set about re-building the Ross innings. They had moved the score on to 59 when Evans (38) was caught off the bowling of Carpenter. The scoreboard had increased by three runs when Harry King (18) was caught at slip again off the bowling of Carpenter. 15 year old Ben Element walked out to the wicket and with great maturity stood up to the Avoncroft bowling attack. Ben and Tony Leslie moved the score to 95 before Leslie (14) was bowled by Paul Athey. Josh Element joined his twin brother at the wicket and they added one run before Ben (17) was unlucky to be caught and bowled by Dave James. In the 32nd over, with the score on 97 for 9, the Ross skipper joined Josh Element at the crease. Again Josh Element followed his brother's example by batting with great maturity and patience as the Avoncroft fielders crowded round the bat. With the score on 153 and in the 46th over Josh (4) was caught at First Slip off the bowling of Warwick. Avoncroft won by 85 runs. Pick of the Avoncroft bowlers was Paul Athey with figures of 4 for 51.

For more stories in full please see this week's Ross Gazette.