KING’S Road were handed a crushing defeat by Corridors CC in their first foray into the LPL on an awful pitch in Battersea Park.

Winning the toss and choosing to bowl first on an artificial wicket and outfield with muddy puddles of the Somme proportions, the league newboys got to work with some economical bowling from the two Matts, Glover and Small.

After some sharp chances earlier on, the breakthrough came with a impressive spell from first change bowler Shailesh Joshi.

Shailesh was on top form as he ripped through the top four batsmen, including a hat-trick chance and a catch off his own bowling, to put The Road on top.

The Matts each took wickets, but it was another Matt, Matt Cocken, who took a brace of wickets for just six runs off four overs.

At the end of their 35 overs, the Corridors were 143 for 8 – securing the Road their first LPL bonus point for taking five wickets.

Having set a seemingly gettable target of 144 in 35 overs, King’s Road got to a very slow start. After taking a single on the third ball, The Road didn’t score again until the eighth over as openers Mark Isham and new recruit Alastair Townsend faced some naggy accurate bowling from the Corridors’ Kinnear and Campbell.

Townsend was eventually bowled by a low ball from Kinnear for a 21 ball duck, the first of five ducks in a miserable King’s Road innings. But coming in at three Glover got things going, knocking 16 off 13 before being trapped LBW by Patterson.

Although Shailesh was on great form with the ball, he was less fortunate with the bat. Veteran bowler ‘Lego’ Windsor skittled Shailesh for a single run before snaring Dan Sherman on his second ball LBW in what turned out to be a devastating double wicket maiden.

Opener Mark rallied with Jamie Keating, who scored 10, and put on a partnership of 29 runs, despite the ball hitting Jamie’s stumps but failing to dislodge the bails on his third ball. Jamie was less fortunate the second time Patterson got through to the stumps.

Debutant Andrew Cooper joined both Alastair and Dan – and later Chris Beckett and Skipper James Couldrey – on ducks, before Mark chi(r)pped the ball up off Patterson to a grateful Corridor’s captain Duncan Mallard ending a defiant 34 run knock.

Matt C had a tasty 17 run innings, before he was caught by the keeper, off bowling from the Corridor’s skip who finished with figures of 3 wickets for 11 runs off 5.

But it was not enough, King’s Road skipper James was the third victim on the day to be trapped LBW as Windsor took his third wicket in the thirtieth over and King’s Road finished 87 all out.

Failing to eke out an extra 13 runs, the Orange caps also failed to secure a batting bonus point for the League standings.