Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

The result made it three wins out of three for Washington, and Saturday skipper David Gluckman was happy to reflect on the reasons for the club's early-season success: ‘I think it's down to the strength of the squad', he said: ‘Paul's innings was magnificent, but there were several other crucial contributions, including the batting of Rudi Jensen and the bowling of Mick Kennedy'.

Modesty perhaps forbade the skipper from mentioning his own bowling, yet it was his decision to bring himself into the attack after 12 overs of the Priory Park innings that turned the game decisively in Washington's favour.

Park had got off to a flyer, putting 50 on the board within 10 overs. However, Gluckman got a wicket with his first ball, and the hosts went into their shell: the next ten overs yielded just 11 runs, and from that point Washington exerted a stranglehold on the game.

Wickets fell regularly. Irons (2-13) and Kennedy (3-37) wrought havoc in the middle order, and Peter Kloss returned to take a well deserved wicket at the close. They were assisted by some smart ground fielding which saw two Park batsmen run out.

The home team closed at tea, leaving Wash with a target of 120. Jensen's 33, which included two vast sixes, together with Irons's fireworks put them on the path to a victory which was sealed by another six, this time from Kennedy (14 n.o.).

With just one week before the big derby fixture against Pacific, Washington seem to be moving into top form.