AFTER a morale-boosting victory last week, reality bit for Baldock Cricket Club on Saturday losing against St Margaretsbury II s by 38 runs. The day started well for Baldock, despite losing the toss and fielding first, a move that left captain Rob Cant fe

AFTER a morale-boosting victory last week, reality bit for Baldock Cricket Club on Saturday losing against St Margaretsbury II's by 38 runs.

The day started well for Baldock, despite losing the toss and fielding first, a move that left captain Rob Cant feeling confident especially with the downcast conditions.

St Margaretsbury struggled to find any rhythm early on against the accurate bowling of Giles Naylor and Alistair Jones. And the breakthrough was not long coming as Jones had Rimmer lbw for three.

The bowling from the openers and spinner Tim Dean was so accurate that after 30 overs the visitors found themselves 30-1 off 28 overs. A score that got worse when Jones broke through twice more in quick succession to leave them 31-3 and in trouble.

Then Pedder upped the ante with some strong drives against all of Baldock's bowlers.

Peddler and Bailey rode their luck and picked the run rate up by adding 90 in the next 16 overs in an astonishing turn around and put St Margaretsbury back in the match.

St Margaretsbury finished on 153 all out from 52.2 overs.

A competitive total that left Baldock with a lot of work to do.

But the chase was a stuttering affair with wickets falling at regular intervals as Robinson probed away for 20 overs.

Only James Peacock with 36 managed to tame the bowlers for any length of time and when he was out with the score on 60-6 the match was all but lost.

Baldock were bowled out for 115 in 40 overs, losing by 38 runs.

Baldock Sunday XI v Breachwood Green

Baldock's Sunday XI bounced back impressively after last weekend's mauling at the hands of Hatfield to beat Breachwood Green by five wickets.

Fielding first, Baldock bowled Breachwood out for 156 in the 40th over, where bowling and fielding looked to be much improved. Andy Payne took 6-31 including a hat-trick to wrap the innings up.

In reply Baldock got off to a poor start, losing opener Goodlad for one, but Paul Gentle with 27 and Kal Rayat with an innings of 22 put them into a good position to attack a moderate total.

Captain Rob Cant took over and put together a 30 with bowling hero Payne and then chalked up 27 with Alistair Jones to take the score to 127. Cant was eventually bowled for 36.

Jones found his form by batting freely and he and Nick Blenkin saw Baldock home with three balls to spare reaching 157-5.