Southgate 1st XI travelled to Holtwhites, a well-respected side in the Hertfordshire League, for what has historically been a closely fought fixture.
Southgate won the toss and chose to bat. Sunny and Max got things underway confidently before Max departed at 33 for 1. Both openers looked in good touch, setting a solid platform.
Our first overseas signing from Australia, Liam Collett, then took centre stage. Looking completely at ease on a variable track, he played some elegant shots all around the ground, finishing with a superb 87 off 100 balls, including 11 fours and a six. He was well supported by Scott Ellis (36) and skipper James Dangerfield (21), before Nick added a quick-fire 18 off just 8 balls to give the innings a strong finish.
Southgate closed on 222 for 5 from 40 overs.
Tea was… memorable. Being a “bring your own” setup, there was a brief moment of panic when Josh and Max returned from the petrol station without some of the sandwiches they went to get. Thankfully, no one went hungry and order was restored.
With the ball, James and Will opened up. Will in particular bowled very well and was unlucky not to have more to show for it at times. James did what he does best and beat the outside edge numerous times.
The Holtwhites’ opener looked a class act, scoring a composed 43, matched by another 43 from one of their middle order. Aside from that, contributions were limited, with the next highest score being 20.
The wickets were shared around, but the standout performance came from Mike Cox, who finished with an excellent 5 for 33 from his 6 overs. Not all of them will make the coaching manual – a couple of half-trackers somehow did the job – but as they say, it’s what goes in the book, and five wickets against a decent side is not to be sniffed at. Well bowled, Coxy.
Southgate wrapped things up impressively, bundling Holtwhites out for 158 in just 30 overs, a superb and disciplined bowling performance backed up by solid work in the field.
The fielding was good overall, with a few chances going down – but that’s what pre-season is for. Everyone got a bat, a bowl, and time in the field, which is exactly what you want at this stage.
All in all, a strong workout and an even stronger result. We say it every year, but there’s a good feeling about the squad across all three teams. With a bit of commitment and consistency, Southgate will be looking to give every side a proper game this season