SCORECARD

Location, Location, Location

T’was on a balmy mid-summers eve, that an eclectic group of Fitmen assembled at the ever picturesque, Belbroughton ground. In deepest, sleepiest Worcestershire, this has to be the best away venue on the fixture list. Bucolic doesn’t really do it justice.

It’s West of Birmingham, so with trepidation a call of Tails comes good and the Fitmen elect to bat with a retire at 25 rule in place. 23 degrees? gentle breeze? Sheep bleating in nearby fields? Sometimes, opening pairings form themselves and so soon to be married Jonesy and Rob Nutt were asked to make their way the 90m to the far side of the square.

Jones in scintillating recent form smacked the 2nd ball straight passed the bowler up the hill for a boundary and we were off. Curiously, despite a short leg side boundary, only 10 more 4’s were scored in the entire innings. The pitch was green and a touch sticky, but with a diet of accurate slow bowling on a nagging length, singles and 2’s were the order of the day. Rob out caught, brought Waseem in who smote 19 off 10 balls with 3 4’s and a maximum in a whirlwind innings.

Jones with a belly full of Swordfish and white wine was joined by Tom Sanders who looked accomplished with a delightful late cut before perishing. Weekend centurion Skip carried on where he left off with a 14 ball 26 including some characteristic straight drives. Jonesy also retired with a solid run a ball 27, the Fitmen looked well set for a big total.

Monty Martin on the promise of £10 a run (and a curry n pint), to get him to play (!), tried to go for a big hit, for big reward, but the £60 shot fell short and was pouched at long on. The lad was gutted. But fair play for giving it a go son.

The partnership the Fit away fans had travelled all this way for then magically formed. Ian Howarth-Timms and S.Nokia both started their knocks with 1,1,dot,dot,dot. Dreamy stuff. To be fair, with what happened to the tail, Timmy’s 14 off 14 and Sammy’s 13 off 14 pushed us to a (what felt like) nearly competitive total. Tony Thaper lasted 4 balls, Nutter 3 and not to be out-done Dave Moore out for a rare diamond duck, backing up, the bowler got a finger on a straight drive and Dave was stranded. “Have you had a Diamond duck before Dave?” Answer “Yeh, loads” has to be the line of the night!

Fitmen 129

With only just over 6 an over needed, a good tight start was essential and that is exactly what we got. Good ground fielding and catches held supported brilliant opening spells from Waseem and Timmsy. Waseem 4-1-10-1 was at times unplayable. Openers stumps scattered with a beauty. Timms accurate and obdurate for 24 deliveries 4-0-13-2. The Strollers were reeling at 23 for 3 off 8 overs. Quite superb. Suddenly 6 an over was looking more like 9. The game had been wrangled back in Fit favour.

The holy trinity which has sent shivers down more opposition spines? Holding, Garner and Roberts? McGrath, Lee and Warne? How about Moore, Lockyer and Nutter? Yeh, I know right…feels like someone has walked over your grave?

Dave Moore just walks in, twirls down an over and they can only get 4 singles. Nutter, runs in, in front of the umpire around the wicket, left arm. Some initial loose stuff and then the wickets tumble. Lockyer steaming in off 12 paces to unleash looping aubergine hued products? The batsmen are thinking, “are these lot taking the piss?”

Well we’re not. Well not all the time.

Anyway, we’ve all seen it unfold before, but the oppo’ only get it once a year. Highlights include a smart stumping by the excellent keeper Sanders. A double Nutt, definitely containing Nutts, caught by Rob in the deep to snag their dangerous bat. Monty sprinting around the outfield saving countless runs had he not been there. Nutter ends up with a 3 fer, Lockyer 1, Dave wicketless but only going a 6 an over in T20, always good.

Oppo left stranded on Nelson 111 and the Fitmen win by 18 runs.

HPA on draught, Chicken n Veggie curries mopped up with quality naans. Chocolate strawberries straight out of the fridge. The sun setting behind the trees. A truly spiritual moment. Great times to be a Fitman.