2s keep up their good run.

A cloudy early June fixture saw RCC win the toss and insert Merton 2s on a dry RCC wicket.

Merton had just racked up 310 in 45 overs in their previous match so the Seconds expected a long afternoon chasing leather into the brambles. Ash Naumann (4 for 85) made the initial inroads into the Merton batting line up, hitting the stumps with regularity. It wasn't until a refreshing orange squash at drinks did Yasir Ahmad (5 for 19) and Paul Fuchs (1 for 19 off 15 overs) come together to really but the brakes on the Merton innings. Yasir bowled yorkers that tailed into leg stump, whilst Fuchsy showed that none of his suave, experienced, know-how had wained whilst being interned in Cambridgeshire. He tied the Merton hitters in knots, bowling dot after dot before having to dash off for an important social engagement in Putney, a bottle of champagne tucked loosely under one arm.

These two tilted the game in RCC's favour reducing Merton to 154 all out. But, no game is won at the tea interval and the Seconds would need to bat well to notch up another win.

Step forward Stu Turner (61) who batted through from the first over to almost the last, playing with calmness and assuredness, whilst Merton blasted through the RCC batting line-up at the other end. Big Stu put the short ball away well and got fully forward to the pitched up deliveries. Unfortunately, he was fast running out of partners. It wasn't until Mohsin Saleem (41) came to the crease that the game defining partnership took hold. Mohsin hit powerfully to the boundary until the field was spread in all directions. Neither could quite finish the job. It took two clean hits from Sam Vahdai (8*) to see RCC home. Pleasingly, Sam is the first in a hopefully long line of Colts to make the sometimes difficult step up into league cricket. He has now settled into the side and doesn't look out of place in the team. It was somehow appropriate then, that it was he that hit the winning runs.

Another tight win for the 2s. A great team effort but highlighted with an outstanding knock from Stu Turner and some champagne memories from Fuchsy.

Man of the match: Stuart Turner.