Outwood 1st XI kicked-off their KCVL Division 1 campaign against the fearsome Bearsted 1st XI, last year’s league champions. Going into Saturday’s match the Bears hadn’t lost a league game since 2019.

On a warm day and flat track Matt failed at his first task, losing the toss and being made to bowl first. However, Outwood got into a promising position having Bearsted at 75-3 with Bearstead’s star batsmen back in the shed thanks to a Matty Norman jaffa. The Bears showed their claws fighting back with a 100 run partnership with their No.5 scoring 78 from 49 balls featuring 5 sixes, until a smart run out by Bleasy put an end to his fun. Matt and Dru returned for second spells to take the remaining 6 wickets for 50 runs as Bearsted were bowled out for 225. Dru finishing with 3 wickets and Norman achieving back-to-back 5fers against Bearsted (6 for 28).

After a delicious tea laid on by the Cleavers, Outwood set about their chase in solid fashion, reaching 97-2 at drinks with a fine half-century from opener Mark Lane. Bearsted kept the game on a knife edge picking up the wicket of Laney and restricting the wood to few runs. That was before Louis Russell-Watts got into his work, effortlessly flicking deliveries over the fence. Just as Outwood looked in control, LRW fell for 54 (from just 41 balls). As newly arrived William Blease got himself in and wickets started to fall around him, the run rate reached nearly 9 an over. However, diamonds are made under pressure and Bleasy began to bash Bearsted bowlers back over their head at such frequent occurrence that umpire Barry claimed the Outwood all-rounder only possessed one shot. The game was still well in the balance in the penultimate over, Outwood needing 11 runs for 12 balls with 3 wickets remaining, but as more pressure built a creative Harry Crawford chinese cut brought a deafening roar from the Outwood players and faithful. Bleasey’s heroic innings (58*) and Outwood’s marathon chase was complete on the first ball of the final over with the left-hander sending the ball deep into the woods for six.

20 massive points for Outwood 1st XI in their 2022 title bid and another tough game awaits them next - away to the infamous Bidborough.