Ross-on-Wye CC First XI entertained Birlingham at The Park on Saturday. Before the toss the weather intervened and the match was delayed by 30 minutes and reduced to 46 overs per team. On winning the toss, Ross skipper Christiaan Ferreira invited Birlingham to bat first.

The Ross opening bowlers got into their stride and the breakthrough came in the fifth over when Bruno Warwick had Robin Drake (4) caught by Stuart Mair in the slips. Bruno followed this up when he had Higginbottom (0) trapped LBW with the score on 20. Mike Sloan (2) joined his team mates in the pavilion when he was caught and bowled by Warwick. Alex Classen (2) was then bowled by James Tiffen, with the score 31 for 4. Left hander Martin Downes (42) and Alex Harrison (41) built a partnership and moved the score up to 99 before James Tiffen bowled Downes. Dave Classen came to the crease and hit 20 before being trapped LBW by Adam McLarty. Wickets continued to fall and the final wicket fell with the score on 143 when Bruno claimed his forth wicket of the day when he clean bowled Hatfield (0).

The Birlingham innings was interrupted by rain three times and the Ross players rushed to put the covers on each time. Pick of the Ross bowlers were Bruno Warwick (4-35), James Tiffen (3-41) and Christiaan Ferreira (15 overs 0-41).

After a glorious tea, Ross openers could only complete two overs and move the score board on to 6, before the weather intervened for the fourth and final time and the match was abandoned. This left the entire team feeling frustrated as they had an ideal opportunity to win this match.

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