The Cooks made the tricky journey to the Dean Oval to take on the Rushden third string. Skipper Ryan won the toss and as seems usual policy, chose to bowl. From the start the Rushden innings was totally dominated by the Cooks opening bowlers Tony Bird and the second’s debutante Buster. Tony got the party rolling with his fifth ball and soon added two more wickets in his next two overs. Buster then joined in with destruction of the town top order, well caught by the skipper behind the timbers. Wickets continued to fall and with the score at 23-7 Tony now had five wickets and Buster bowling equally as well but with little luck, two victims. The bowlers were being helped by tidy fielding and any being catches offered being gratefully accepted, especially Adam Longley’s well choreographed catch in the covers. Town’s batting procession slowed a little with a useful ninth wicket stand of 24 to take the score over fifty. Both bowlers were still sensing more wickets and Tony gained both the remaining wickets to ensure a career best bowling analysis of 10.5-5-21-8. The triumphant pair of bowlers were well backed up by the fielders who did not drop any of the chances offered (makes a change!) a fact which became more crucial the longer the Cooks reply went on.
With the match at such an advance stage a ten minute interval was taken (tea later) and the Cooks started out in pursuit of their small target. Although both openers soon departed the Cooks had knocked over half of the runs required until a combination of good bowling and timid shots allowed four wickets to fall, the scoreboard now showed a sorry looking 30 for 6. Rushden now could sense an unlikely victory but did not count on two of the Cooks younger players Frankie and Tom who had other ideas, with a stubborn stand which turned things round for the visitors. The partnership made just 10 runs in 14 overs, which may seem quite modest but in the contest of this low scoring affair, their stand was crucial in stemming the flow of wickets, with a mixture gritty defence and a little luck. When Frankie was bowled 14 runs were still needed but any doubts of victory were soon allayed with the swishing bat of Buster, to gain an eventual hard fought three wicket victory.
This was a very low scoring affair with 17 wickets only yielding 107 runs (compared to the 122 runs accrued by Henry at Cogenhoe). Much credit must go to Tony and Buster with their spectacular bowling display, but also the superb catching, that ensured Rushden did not build a too onerous target. This in the end allowed the Cooks to limp over the finishing line, with the top order batsmen being unable to make their mark on this occasion.