SCORECARD

HATS OFF TO THE FITMEN!

On a perfect early summer evening, a Fit XI packed with all rounders, assembled at the idyllic Barnt Green ground to take on the Whitehall Wanderers. Skipper for the day had suggested a themed evening of silly hats (dont worry - never again) in order to lull the oppo into thinking we were a bunch of clowns and thus underestimate our level of talent. We really didn't need the hats.

Honours were shared between Howarth, sporting a pair of Minnie Mouse ears, and Pickering who went on his own strange off theme journey wearing Only fools and horses underwear over his cricket whites and a baggy green cap. Very fetching.

Upon winning the toss (tails) wearing a large blue women's wedding hat, spirits were high as the new opening partnership of Sunny the slayer Singh and Rich Bice strode to the crease. Bice, with strict instructions to get to 25 and retire went about his job admirably, got to 25 and retired, although this was a tougher assignment than last week when he bludgeoned a girl to all parts of the ground. With some good early bowling Sunny managed to strike the ball beautifully....directly at all fielders before departing stumped for 14.

In at number 3, a reborn Howarth continued what the openers had started, smiting good length balls for 4 and then smashing a huge 6 over the clubhouse retiring on 27 off not many balls, could this be the start of a man of the match performance? Raj Singh and Pickering decided to make the match more interesting by not really troubling the scorers, both out caught, before Butcher and Sharif steadied the ship with a good partnership. Butcher was in a particularly savage mood, heaving 2 big 6s and a collection of 4s whilst the ever impressive Sharif kept the run rate ticking with some reasonably quickish jog/walk singles really putting the pressure on the fielders.

With the retiring rule in place, all members of the team needed to bring their batting talents to the party, and Martin, Howes and Brentnall all added useful runs. Shots of the day go to Jonny H Jnr who middled a pacey delivery straight onto his instep...ouch, and Martin who was left spreadeagle on the deck following an agricultural swipe at his 1st ball. In the end a massive 177 off 20 looked a winning total, but as we all know, nothing is ever simple with the Fitmen.

It all sounded so easy, keep it below 9 an over and we would win at a canter.

Sunny started perfectly allowing only 7 runs off his 2 overs but he wasn't so keen to preserve Guys figures, hurling a throw straight at Bices redundant helmet! Now thats not something you see everyday! (gifting 5 extras to the oppo). The fact that Bices helmet was unused throughout the day (allegedly unused for over a month) and the boundary rope was only 30 yards away did lead to a selection of ripe expletives from the skipper. As did numerous pieces of poor fielding allowing the boundary count to start rising.

To be fair, some of the batting was excellent, but too many balls were full tosses or rank long hops leading to the Wanderers being at 90 off 10 overs and up with the required rate. Sharif and Raj bowled well, and Raj was outstanding in the deep with numerous dives to stop 4s and brilliant throws. Butcher held onto a catch off Pickerings bowling, and with a couple of retirements the match started to swing back in the Fitmen's favour. Needing 60 to win, enter stage left all-rounder Howarth, buoyed by his excellent batting performance and a good off season down at Edgbaston where he swung the ball prodigiously, expectations were high.

There have been some memorable spells of bowling throughout the history of cricket; Devon Malcolm's destruction of South Africa, Shane Warne bowling that ball to Mike Gatting, but nothing has come close to what was witnessed at Barnt Green on a pleasant Thursday evening. After a mere 12 balls Howarth had managed to turn the tide of the entire game. Considering he bowled a wide and 2 dot balls getting mullered for 33 in 9 pacey deliveries is quite an achievement. Despite a good 2nd over from Nutt and some tight-ish bowling from Martin, they needed only 12 from the last. The ever dependable Howes steamed in and wrapped the game up allowing only 5, getting 2 wickets - with Bice getting a crazy stumping bonus off the last ball.

347 runs and a tight finish, with very sociable opposition; there's nowt like a game of cricket!