Only mid-May and match three of the 2011 season was already upon us. After a tied game with Skyswood and a heavy defeat to Killigrew it was great to have the Scratchers fixture to savour.

As per the previous two years it was Rothamsted Park upper pitch, the pavilion, excellent teas from Mrs Cowen and great weather for cricket - sunny with occasional cloud cover and a blustery wind to stop anyone getting too heated - even Captain Cook!

Pip Cowen resuming his mantle as Scratchers skipper duly won the toss and elected to field. The format: 30 overs each, batsmen retiring at 25 and the batting to rotate to ensure that each side receives its full 30 overs. Fair play guaranteed!

Rob Chaplin and Andy Knill Jones opened for the Saddos, Rob taking strike. What a first over from the bowler Rob Davis though - after an initial couple of looser deliveries his fifth was a peach and the Saddos were 0 for 0, a wicket maiden.

Richard Noden joined Andy and the runs started flowing with both batsmen beginning to take the Scratchers to task. Andy Knill Jones delivered a stunning innings of 16 runs including three boundaries to the leg side while Noden showed his net form hitting 14 off only 16 deliveries including a straight four to long on.

With Knill Jones departure to an LBW decision from "Killer Lee", Roger Barton came in batting at four and was soon joined by Skipper Peter Cook. Runs became harder to come by partly due to more erratic bowling but before being bowled for 10 Barton included a boundary to the mid-wicket bushes.

Captain Cook was awash with runs though looking bouyant throughout his innings. It looked like the only way he'd be dismissed would be if he gave up his wicket which unfortunately he did. Pulling at a ball he swivelled on the spot but became unbalanced and toppled into own stumps - the Saddos first ever Hit Wicket dismissal and a real test at last for Nick's iphone app!

David Reed and Nick Button began to open up on the Scratchers bowling. Reed delivered a superb knock of 25 runs including 5 boundaries only selflessly holing out to a catch off the bowling of Tim Randall once the umpire had indicated that he'd be retiring at the end of the over.

"Not Out Nick" was in bludgeoning form also hitting 5 boundaries. Despite his reputation for maintaining his average through undefeated times at bat he was swinging through until the final ball eventually retiring on 29 not out.

Quick-fire sessions from leading scorer Simon Wilson (17) and Tim Winfield (13) saw out the innings with the Saddos finishing on 163 for 6 - a highly respectable total.

After the tea interval part time Saddos Pip Cowen and Tim Randall strode to the centre to cries of "Judas". As if to compound the insult they then set off at break neck pace towards the 164 run target and Scratchers were ahead on the run rate after the first four overs. Once more the opening batting partnership of the SFDWP was reunited with Andy Knill Jones and Rob Chaplin combining. The former clean bowled Cowen while both maintained tight disciplined bowling conceding only 7 runs each of their three overs.

The next saw the teaming of Richard Noden and Roger Barton. Both proved more expensive but the combination reaped dividends as Barton tempted the batsman with a ball just outside off stump that was driven hard for Noden to catch at gully. The following over Davis chipped a high catch back to the bowlers end for Barton to snap up off his own delivery.

The momentum had swung and Phil Spencer and Ian Holmes joined the fray. Spencer's bowling was more restrained than usual but as effective as always. Two wickets for only six runs off a three over spell of controlled aggression kept the batsmen including Cowen Sr in check.

At the other end Ian Holmes was taking advantage of the uneven bounce sending good length balls into the batsmen's chest or ankles - no-one knew, not even Ian. The catch of the match though had to be a superb over the shoulder running effort by Peter Cook at mid-wicket to see off Dean for only one run.

A quick taken double saw the teaming up of Cowen Senior & Junior as the former pulled up with a pulled leg muscle. Pip dashed to the field as a runner for his father and continued in this role until the partnership was ended by a delivery that took out middle and off stumps by Nick Button.

At the other end Tim Winfield was contributing another fine performance taking two wickets as the batting order rotated around towards the end of the 30 over spell.

By now the run rate needed exceeded 8 per over and a SFDWP victory was looking imminent. The match had been played in a superbly competitive yet gentlemanly manner even in its only moment of controversy. Seemingly from nowhere the legside bail of a batsman had become dislodged with little apparent contact. The appeal raised was from the third man field as it became clear that the ball had grazed the stumps and the movement had pushed the offside bail across like a domino. All amicably resolved and the correct decision given by the Scratchers umpire.

As always, a real pleasure to play the Scratchers. While it's without doubt great to get a first win under our belts this really is the match each season where the result comes second to the spirit the game is played in. Some individual performances to savour from David Reed and Nick Button with gloves, bat and ball are definite highlights but this was a good all round performance by the whole team.