By Steven Doble

Astute Financial Muddies C Grade ventured to Toad territory for a revised morning match last Sunday and losing the toss were placed in the field.

Happy Gilmour matched his pace to the weather (hot) and broke through in his third over to a clean sharp catch to Dangles Williams at slip, 1/4. The Mulgrave Toads steadied their ship taking advantage of some leg side deliveries and full tossers finding the fast boundary.

An in/out field was adopted as the bowlers searched for the right areas with immediate success Barnes offering a straight forward chance to the skipper, 2/26. This brought Toads' former skipper and nemesis Catalana (40) to the crease who quickly pounced on any poor deliveries resulting in most of the partnership from his bat until Keel got lucky finding a thick edge to Taylor at gully off a rank full toss for another sharp catch, 3/65.

At drinks, just passed the half way point and 28 overs remaining Toads were in a sound position as the Mudcrabs eyed off some wandering out of creases and poor backing up by the Toads batsmen but no one expected the suicide to follow as P. Flower pushed a delivery straight back at bowler Keel and called through his younger counterpart L. Johnston who was easily run out to the combination of Evans (WK) and Keel, 4/87.

Perhaps (Dad) A. Johnston would settle things down but when Flower (31) tried repeating the dose to the Johnston family he found himself walking back to no doubt hear the wrathful croaks of his fellow Toads, run out by quick fielding of Tom Goodall, 5/95. Johnston (17) fell to another full toss hit straight back to Taylor off Gilmour and at 6/119 genocide set in for the amphibians, Barnes and Gilmour cleaning up the tail for a mere 9 more team runs and 4 wickets falling for zero to end all out for 128 on a batter's pitch and fast outfield, perhaps 70-80 short of an expected total, using up 46 overs.

Nevertheless runs are runs and Doble/Taylor were sent in for an expected 8 over stint that somehow turned into 12 overs. Both batsmen placed high value on their wickets with little intent other than to be not out and have the opportunity to capitalise week 2, Muddies were 0/12 at the completion of week one's play.

Astute Financial's Simon Cody (0/25) gained some worthy game-bowling fitness. Taylor (0/3) and Darlington (0/15) went luckless while Keel was tight (1/15 off 9) and Barnes (3/19 off 12) and Gilmour (4/44 off 14) did the bulk of the damage.