SCORECARD

Fitmen Return

We're back at the graveyard, complete with a makeshift bar and, unsurprisingly, given what happen a match report from the skip.

Our T20 game, played close to midsummer against our favorite oppo, Selly Oak Hospital, was always going to be a popular fixture. With a large squad of Fitmen available for midweek games this season, it was, as the old Talksport proverb goes, "a good problem to have." Well, sort of. It was tough to leave players out, but those who missed this game were guaranteed a spot on the team sheet for next week's golden away evening in Bellbroughton. (great pitch, teak bar, purity on tap, curry after, can’t wait)

Selly Oak ultimately had only 10 players, so we lent them a Fitman—one of our only actual fit-man in the form one of the Rowland brothers. The Rowland siblings decided in the car on the way to the game, via a coin toss, which of them would join the "dark side."

The toss itself was delayed due to roadworks in Moseley and Ashton's detour to Britanic. Selly Oak lost the toss, and Skipper Jonesy elected to bat. Regarding the Rowland conundrum, Tom (Sailor) stayed with the Fitmen, while Harry joined Selly Oak. Harry walked into the away dressing room, and when asked by their skipper what he did, he replied, "a bit of both, batting all-rounder." Five minutes later, he was opening the bowling!

Now and again, our top order flourishes, and this was one such day. Jonesy was hit squarely on the finger by a full bunger from Harry on the first ball (payback for batting number 9 last week!), but then share two crucial partnerships. First, a 53-run stand off 8.3 overs with Timmsy (the new Howarth), who scored 20 off 30 balls. This was followed by a 78-run partnership with Sailor, who contributed a run-a-ball 29. By the time Jonesy fell after 15 overs for 73 (40), the Fitmen were in sixth gear at 131. Then, true to form, we downshifted into neutral, adding only 10 more runs in 4 overs before Sunny, who's averaging a ridiculous 76 this season (with a top score of 28 not out), smashed 7 off the final 4 balls of the innings.

Selly Oak Hospital was set 151 to win – a defendable total.

Rana and Waz opened the bowling. Rana delivered a beautiful spell down the hill from the Mulberry Dr end and was unlucky not to claim more than one wicket, as the Fitmen's "butter fingers" prevailed. His sole wicket was a truly beautiful piece of cricket: after probing outside off stump on several occasions, he found another nick, this time straight into the hands of Sunny at first slip. The catch was made even better by the distraction of a diving Timmsy (who probably forgot he wasn’t still playing the previous night's game "one hand, one bounce" rules).

Replacing Waza (criminally underused by the Skip, 1-6 off 2) up the hill was Ashton, who bowled a lovely spell of 4 overs for 18 runst. Comments from the new "Dirty Den" on the sideline suggested "he's the new Nokia" as the Headmaster toiled away with loopy medium seam up. He was unlucky not to get a wicket, especially with a contender for drop of the season (not pointing any fingers)

Sunny, despite being a bit expensive, took 3 wickets with his trademark swingers, banana-ing in from a fine leg line and crashing into middle and leg on more than one occasion. This included one of the best leaves you will ever see.

Any hope of Selly Oak getting near the 150 target was extinguished by the spin, guile, and experience of the spin twins, Bal and Nutter. They were mesmerizing on the dusty, hard pitch, which by then perfectly suited their unique set of skills. Nutter picked up another 2 wickets, and Bal delivered a ridiculously good spell of 3 wickets for just 5 runs.

The Fitmen secured a great 45-run victory against a bloody good opposition.

Beers were enjoyed at the pitch first. A big thanks to the new Den and Angie of the Fitmen, Ade and Mandy for the bottle bar—a fantastic addition and sorely missed since Steve's retirement. Mainly because the bar ran dry, further ale was partaken across the road at the Covered Wagon.

As Ashton put it the morning after, "it was probably one of the best evenings of my life. Had Sailor caught my peach"—a tail as old as time.