Tony Caesar at Moseley Ashfield
Can the Fitmen fix it? Yes we can...

Twenty20 World Cup finals day approached, and the 'injuries' flooded in to skipper Raj. But he found a brave XI who preferred the Yardley Wood Road to the sofa, and he and they were rewarded with a hard won victory, snatching the winning wickets after looking in trouble a number of times.

Ashfield produced a clutch of useful young quickies who put the top order under pressure early on, and after a cameo debut for Freezer the wickets tumbled. Thirty overs were all that the Fitmen could use, a mid- and late-order recovery adding some respectability to the score line. X.Tra top scored with 28, and Chas got 24. A couple of others weighed in with double-figure scores and the lower order provided stubborn resistance to give the bowlers a modest kitty of 136 to work with.

Howes was generally too good in his first spell (he must have had a record number of plays and misses) and was supported well by Sid who bowled through his spell of eight overs. But the Ashfield opening pair looked to be bedded in after six overs and the prospect of defeat raised its head.

Extras were low, most of the catches taken and the fielding tidy. Get this right, add some accurate bowling, and anything can happen - and so it proved. Wickets fell regularly and fireworks in the distance (mistaken by some to be in celebration of a Pakistan win) heralded the Fitmen rush for victory.

The Ashfield Big Hitters aimed for the short boundary and were snagged with a smart catch at short mid off and a clean bowled. The march to victory was underway but met with some stubborn resistance for the last couple of wickets.

Survival after three leg-before shouts made the fielders wonder if they were to be thwarted, but eventually number nine heaved across the line once too many. One more to go.

An edge through the vacant slip for 4 was the hint required and quickly populated with a pair of slips and a gully. Howes duly set him up and Jewitt's impression of Inspector Gadget took the catch at altitude. Job done.

Jewitt and Howes were rewarded with three-a-piece, Sid got two, a farcical run-out and one for the Duchess.