250-and-dick-'em against Oxenford. Got to be happy with that.
We lost the toss and batted first on the "dead zebra" wicket. Ex-batsman Croc was disappointed to be down at number 10, in what was a pretty decent batting lineup - convincing Bumby that we should score at 8 per over. Q started with 11 from the first over. Chalky got out second ball. Bokka and Q built the rate up slowly before Bokka fell to a pretty good catch. Rich never really got into his usual attacking stride. Sam and Q saw us to drinks. 95 for 4 and we were thinking that 200 would be a reasonable score. Q got out straight after the break, having not been as dominant as he can be but still making 40. Sam and I settled in, content to pick up singles and wait for the bad balls. There turned out to be quite a lot, as Seanie rotated the bowling for the admittedly understrength oppo. There was also quite a few 2s and even a 3. We reached the 200 with 5 overs left and continued on, pushing the rate above 6 an over. I succumbed to "not minding my own average" - for a change. Mike joined Sam for the last over and a half. 258 for 5.
Half way there. Now for the "dick 'em" part. It was drizzling with rain by the time Chalky emerged from the pavilion after tea. The oppo has also "lost" the match ball, replacing it with some sort of plastic covered imitation. Bumby couldn't get it to swing. At the other end professional bowler Croc got a bit of movement off the deck to dismiss both openers - one who had scored 76 in the game back in June, the other who used to play for us. That still left the young guy who made a century earlier in the year, but tight bowling from Croc and Matt kept him tied down, and a straightforward but stylish catch at backward square removed him. Matt got his first Manny Road wicket and Croc got his 4th with an LBW (eventually). Seanie and Rich's mate Glen provided stubborn resistance as the drizzle continued and the light faded. Bokka only got 2 inexpensive overs before making way for Mike, who combined with Rich to remove Seanie. After giving Croc a couple more overs in the hope of another 5-for and free beers, Martin returned to the bowling crease with some quim, getting Glen stumped. Sam was happy to bowl at the tailenders, getting a wicket in his single over. The match ended farcicly, Martin leaving an easy catch for Croc, who left it for Martin, then threw it to Q for an easy run out. 145 run win = dicked 'em!
AO