Just the one game over the weekend for the club as the Second XI’s fixture away to Sheringham was called off with the home team unable to raise a side.
The Firsts were in action at the Salle Cricket Ground, hosting Bradenham 2’s on a sunny day. With the pitch looking a good one to bat on, it was no surprise that captain Raj won the toss and elected to bat first.
It proved a good toss to win, with the batters making hay. In what is a club record total, we amassed 464-3 from 45 overs at a rate of more than 10.3 runs per over – the club’s highest-ever total and the highest ever in the Norfolk Alliance Cricket League.
In another club first, there were three centurions in the same innings. Opener Tom Brett reached his first-ever 100 from just 68 balls, with some classic stroke play through the covers and down the ground.
Will Hollis batted through the innings for a well-made 132no from 93 balls, accelerating through his innings and hitting one enormous six.
However, not for the first time, Dani Long-Martinez stole the show with an outrageous 175 from 80 balls, including 18 sixes. Thoughts go out to the poor fielder who managed to drop him on the boundary on only his third ball.
With a daunting total on the board, RSCC made early inroads with the ball. It says something about how well Liam Riseborough has bowled this season that his spell of 2-15 from six overs was one of his least economical of the season so far.
James Hardy stole the show though, picking up five wickets for just five runs to curtail the Bradenham innings within 27 overs and seal a victory by a massive 335 runs, another record for RSCC.
Credit goes to the Bradenham team for staying positive despite a gulf in class and some injuries in the game.
Toby Armiger
The RSCC First XI celebrate their highest ever total (463-3), the highest total in the Norfolk Alliance League and the club's largest ever winning margin (335 runs). Photo: RSCC
Left to right: Tom Brett (102), Will Hollis (132no), James Hardy (5-5) and Dani Long-Martinez (175) celebrate after a record-breaking weekend for the club. Photo: RSCC