The curtain raised on the 2010 season for the SFDWP with a welcome friendly against Scratchers. As always when playing Scratchers the spirit in which the game was played was second to none offering a relaxed but competitive match and the ideal way to kick off a new season.

The fact that the game occurred at all was a minor miracle in its own right - with rain the day before and cloudy overcast conditions on the day it looked likely that players would be running for cover at various times. As it was, the only time there was an unscheduled break in play was down to very welcome hot drinks to offset the biting breeze.

The format was set at 30:30. With both teams starting with 8 or 9 players the agreement was a minimum 3 overs per bowler and rotating the batting as needed. SFDWP was to start the match with the bat.

Peter Cook and Roger Barton opened the innings. Peter led the scoring but both struggled with the variable bounce and line meaning that runs were at a premium. Eventually Barton chased a wide delivery and was stumped by sometime team-mate Phillip Cowen for five runs but by then six overs had been completed for 26 runs.

Three quick wickets followed from the bowling of John Cowen. Pete Stauvers was given out lbw by Umpire Alfie Button, then David Reed and Ian Holmes both offered cameo performances before being caught off the same bowler. The latter catch was held by Richard Noden, fielding to make up numbers for the opposition. He must have enjoyed the moment as his next move was to volunteer switching sides becoming a fully fledged Scratcher for the day. The cries of "Judas" from the sidelines spurred him on as he then proceeded to bowl a fine period of off-spin in the name of the opposition.

While this carried on Peter Cook continued to build his score eventually retiring 30 not out including one boundary. His carefully crafted score was the backbone of the SFDWP innings and created the opportunity for a typically bludgeoning spell at bat by Phil Spencer. Spencer took the bowlers to task hitting a straight boundary first ball and later a huge six over the square leg boundary off the bowling of Noden - some revenge for the Saddos at least! He was to retire 32 not out with three boundaries and a maximum to his name.

Jonathan Hook hit a boundary as part of his innings of 8 runs before falling to another plumb lbw decision by the Umpire leaving Tim Winfield and Nick Button to close the innings. Winfield was eventually to be out to a superb catch at deep mid-wicket but only after adding 19 runs including two boundaries.

The original idea had been to rotate the batting up to 30 overs but the cold conditions meant that play was suspended after 25 for a very welcome tea break.

Refreshed the SFDWP returned to the field of play. Tim Winfield opened the bowling from the Westminster Lodge end and quickly saw off one opener with a ball that went with the slope and took out the stumps.

Pete Stauvers opened from the Hypocaust end with a controlled spell that restricted the batting to singles and twos.

The first change of bowling to Roger Barton and Ian Holmes didn't produce wickets but Holmes' spell was tight and restrictive and continued to frustrate the batsmen.

It was the change to Jonathan Hook that was to reap rewards and break the partnership that was developing between Cowens Junior & Senior. In his second over Hook executed a plan practiced in the winter nets, bowling two rapid deliveries to Phillip Cowen and then surprising the batsman with a slower pitched ball. The absence of his off stump showed the effectiveness of the strategy and the SFDWP could move on. Hook was to follow up next over by taking the wicket of John Cowen, caught by Simon Wilson leading to figures of 3-0-4-2.

Phil Spencer and Nick Button waded in with fiery spells, Spencer accounting for one batsman with a ball that was to pop up rapidly to a fearful Simon Wilson at short mid-off. Meanwhile Button sent a fine ball down that clipped the outside edge of the batter and was taken by the ever reliable David Reed behind the stumps.

Richard Noden joined the batting line up for the scratchers to a hostile reaction from the fielding team. However, he then produced as fine a display of batting ever seen from him by the SFDWP with 23 runs including two boundaries. Typical!

It could have been so different though as he drove a ball high in his first over towards Jonathan Hook at deep mid-on. It flew inches over the upstretched hands of the fielder leaving him on his back and Noden breathing a sigh of relief. Later Hook was to gain revenge by taking a lower but similar catch off the bowling of Simon Wilson sending Richard Noden to the sidelines to sit with his new team mates.

David Reed was then to show his value yet again behind the stumps running out another batsman with an underarm shy from 10 yards.

The final three overs saw Winfield, Stauvers and Peter Cook all rejoining the attack, with Captain Cook volunteering to take the pressure last over. With the batsmen scrambling for runs he delivered a flighted ball that totally deceived the player causing him to dance all around his stumps before the ball finally knocked over his wicket.

In the end it was a victory for the SFDWP by 7 runs in the most competitive match against Scratchers yet. That said, the spirit of the previous two matches was never lost despite the cold conditions on the day and it proved a fine opening to the season for all concerned.

Man of the match for this one is a tricky choice with a superb performance by Phil Spencer with both bat and ball, Jonathan Hook taking crucial wickets and David Reed keeping wicket in fine style. However, for his controlled 30 not out, a pressure final over wicket and precision captaincy in the field the plaudits go to Peter Cook.

Finally, special mention has to go to Phillip and his wife for the tea and to the youthful umpires who once again did everyone proud. With Phillip and Richard both returning to the SFDWP fold for the next match against Crabtree the world will return to its axis and normal service should be resumed.