Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and last night captain Longplan had greatness thrust upon him.

A new season is always eagerly anticipated by the Saddos. Some players looking to renew friendships, others excited by the joys of comradeship and collective endeavour, while others are just keen to extend their personal batting/bowling figures and hang teamwork (and there is nothing wrong with that either). A new season and a new look for many. Bond, oddly there this time in his new immaculate off white club trousers (available from all good local club shops) and Marky Mark taking on both the Hoxton Hipster and local tramp look all at the same time.

Longplan does not earn his current nickname by chance. Armed with a piece of paper listing his batting order and bowling combinations this is a man who likes to plan ahead. Your correspondent was impressed early on by the new captain's detailed knowledge of the less usual fielding position names, only to be slightly less impressed when noticing the captain had printed off a google map of fielding positions which he kept sneaking a peak at when he thought no-one was looking. A brief glance by your correspondent failed to identify that illusive position "on the one" though!

A new broom in charge always has a positive effect on a club (see big Sam at Sunderland or anyone at Villa for proof). By 6.05 Saddos had 9 players and the captain duly won the toss and boldly elected to field. To make up numbers a kindly looking elderly gentleman and a teenager were plucked from the crowd of two and placed in fielding positions read straight from Google. By the end of over one Stigers and Sherpa arrived and the team were full set.

Opening pair "Bowl it down the" Chennells and Mark "Revenant" Roberts bowled well taking a wicket each and keeping things tight. "the English" Chennells finishing on 10-1 Hagred finishing on 5-1. Next up was Jones in his usual chilled out manner. First ball turns sharply and takes a thick edge. Cries of catch it fail to encourage the keeper from his hiding place directly behind the stumps. Rumours that he was reading his "chart" have so far been unsubstantiated. Jones clean bowls the No.3 who then said some hurtful and untrue things about the leggies' bowling abilities to his teammates. However he is subsequently put in his place by the leggies' teenage daughter so less said soonest mended there.

The Wolverhampton Express offers up his usual buffet car service bowling from the other end. Buffet car, as in quite expensive but in the end fills a gap. Jones 15-1 Curtis 12-0

007 up next bowls with his usual array of thunderballs . Busted drops a skyfall sitters and Bond has his licence to kill immediately revoked for Busted's own safety. Still, live and let live. He ends with respectable figures of 8-0. Busted bowls what can best be described an variable lines in his first over, 2 no-balls and a wide either side of a very spectacular diving catch from Jan "Daley" Diprose are his first over. Daley had been falling over all game, for reasons not clear to anyone but the catch was pure class. Busted 11-1.

It's a brave captain looking for wickets who settles his eyes on Peelie. With the words "this could go anywhere" he then proceeds to compound the odds better than an under achieving East Midland club that have not done anything miraculous unless they win two champions leagues over the next two seasons!! Landing deliveries in broadly the same place each time he gets one over the stumps, one barely above shoe height and the rest somewhere in between. An excellent spell of 10-0 ruined by a late 6 ends his fine spell.

Rupert than bowls well for 16-0 to leave death pair Church and Jan. Church clean bowls the "Beasty" and has a fine catch from Graham to thank for figures of 11-2. Jan bowls a slightly subdued spell (lacking his usual energy - read anger) but thanks to Chennells No.5 taking a skyer, ends with impressive figures of 12-1. Marshalswicket make 113 for 7. Mr Extras top scores with 26 (he should have retired really). They hit three 6s and five 4s but otherwise really excellent all round fielding and good performances from all the bowlers puts the Saddos in a strong position as the sun beings to set over the Superdome.

What can we say about the batting reply. Captain Longstaynot was out for 2. Cutting 31 from his averages. He will never get that back. His early generosity in departing early allowed Peelie and Jan to give a master class in stroke play. Graham retired on 28 including three 6s, Jan retired on 28 with two 6s. Church added 12 before departing and Chennell 4 on demand was there at the end on 7. However, the victory was made the quicker by a Busted inning of 23 not out that had a 5 ball spell of 6, 4, 0,6, 4. Class from all the batting boys and 114 was reached after only 12.4 overs. It contained seven 6s and seven 4s.

In the pub afterwards Captain Longbottom gave a fine speech marking Marshalswicket's first game and welcoming them to the fold. A generous thought that. Well what can we say? James captained really well, we fielded as a unit. There was no weak link in the bowling and the batsmen were fantastic. The only way is down. So enjoy it while it lasts.