GREAT Melton B eased to victory against Eaton on a green-tinged UEA wicket by 86 runs, a victory set up by fine batting displays by Phil Lachowycz (82) and Nick Gristwood (81) at the top of the order.

GREAT Melton B eased to victory against Eaton on a green-tinged UEA wicket by 86 runs, a victory set up by fine batting displays by Phil Lachowycz (82) and Nick Gristwood (81) at the top of the order.

After losing the toss and being put in to bat, Melton made a slow start with only 16 runs coming from the opening 10 overs. Lachowycz and Taylor perhaps being put off as much by the swifts diving bombing the pitch as match as by the nagging lines being bowled by Eaton's opening bowlers, Vincents the senior and the younger.

With Owen Taylor being triggered to a dubious lbw, Nick Gristwood joined Lachowycz in the middle and the two soon found the first change bowlers more to their liking, playing straight and cover drives with ease in an excellent second wicket partnership of 88.

Eaton were ruing missed chances early on as Lachowycz finally departed for 82 with the score on 123 in the 30th over.

Jon Moxon was next, in seemed determined to up the rate. Attempting to play through the field rather than round it, a succession of drives struck painful blows to the mid-off fielders and perhaps made the in-form Gristwood more uncomfortable with one drive whistling passed his right ear.

One shot too many saw Moxon fall for 25, finally holing out to the bruised Butcher at mid-off. Gristwood carried on regardless, playing authentic strokes to record his maiden senior 50 in what was a chanceless and eminently watchable innings of 81 no, Great Melton closing their inning on 223-4.

Eaton's reply started brightly with Butcher and Brackenbury punishing anything short.

No-one, however, could have accounted for the impact GMCC chairman Steve Phoenix was about to have on the game. Everyone had thought the swifts had departed with the sun, but one was still lurking at gulley in the form of Steve Phoenix as he took an age-defying one-handed catch at full length whilst completely air-borne and horizontal to the ground, sending the dangerous Sam Butcher back for a duck.

Phoenix completed his hat-trick of catches with a more straightforward effort at mid-off to reduce Eaton to 43-3 in the 16th over and effectively end the match as a contest.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as Eaton looked to survive and little else in the face accurate Melton bowling, finally ending some way short at 134-9.

Melton only gave away three extras in the innings and each of the six bowlers used were in the wickets, Grenville Ireland being the pick of the bunch bowling his allocation for 29 runs and picking up two wickets courtesy of Phoenix' safe hands.