SCORECARD

Winning streak comes to a lame end at Britannic

Fitmen 143-8 v 145-4 Coftonians - Fitmen lost by 6 wickets

The opening of the bar at 1 pm was the highlight of this rather low scoring and dissapointing affair from the Fitmen.

A glorious day, (as predicted by Shefali) welcomed the teams as the skippers wandered to the middle for the all important toss.
With a nice looking track and sun guaranteed, the call from the oppo skipper was heads - it turned out tails so the Fitmen, quote "Heavy on the batting front", elected to bat.

Woe betide the choice then after 5 overs when the score read 17 for 4! Bice fell to a low in nipper, Caesar Jnr popped an easy chance back to the bowler, Chaz scratched around before being bowled, and Tahir dragged one on from outside off stump. To be fair the opening bowlers worked well with the new Readers Cherry, seaming and swinging it both ways.

So, having waited 36 overs last week for a knock Butch leapt out of the blocks in the 6th over, happy to take up the challenge of the new ball. Raj joined him and the pair set about rebuilding. With the customary Butcher Cuts down to third man, including an awesome Upper Cut over the slips, Butch amassed a fine 50 on a seemingly tricky track. With Raj adding 17, Tuckerrrr contributing 27 not out and Beaky 10, but missing the usual Finishing of a camp(ing) Ade Martin, the Fitmen limped to 143 for 8 in 40 overs.

Tea - as usual - provided another highlight of the day as the usual Triangular Sarnies were interspersed with a Sharif style Pakora, and a pleasant offereing from Chaz along the Savoury Rice route.

So set a not so looming total the Oppo's openers strode to the middle needing less than 4 an over. Ash got the first wicket bowled, and was his usual parsimonious self in conceding only 2.88 an over, opening with Sharif up the hill.

The Fitmen tried 8 bowlers in all, with Butch providing 2 wickets and a catch in excellent figures of 8-2-15-2 (1.88 an over), surely a MotM performance. Guy bowled excellently without success, Chaz and Ian got little turn from the wicket, and even Raj heroically plundered on with a rather large right knee!

36 overs were needed for the Oppo to surpass the runs required, but even after this long time the beer was still cold and the sarnies still fresh!

Thanks to Tony for supporting the tea effort, and supplying the bar.