SCORECARD

Highwood Park 139-7; Old Mo 140-2.
Old Mo won by 8 wickets.

An overcast but humid afternoon greeted the Fitmen at The Graveyard and losing the toss probably saved the hassle of making a decision!

Highwood opted to bat first and barely registered a run off the bat in the first 5 overs, though were helped considerably by Sunny’s radar malfunction giving a semblance of run rate.

With the sonar back on ‘function’ the runs dried up almost completely! Johnny H Junior and Sunny got exaggerated swing and somehow didn’t get their just rewards. Take away that first over and the two of them, followed by Messrs Caesar, Jowett, Butcher and Martin ceded well less than 3 an over via the bat.

FitKeeper Tucker got his kicks out of chinning everything that came his way, Caesar snr tried to catch one handed (and failed), whilst Johnny H jnr made the catch of the day at gully followed by feinting to misfield and lamping in a run out for bonus fantasy points.

The extras (2nd top scorer) were eventually toppled by Highwood’s doughty opener who almost carried his bat through the entire 40 overs eventually falling 3 short of a half century just as the innings came to a close.

The lumberjacks in the memorial stone corner attracted the most attention and plaudits for their rapier like cuts and pulls over tea before Sunny’s pepped up wings brought the players back to life.

A target of 140 (3.5 per over) to win on a batting strip shouldn’t really become a challenge – but stranger things have happened!

Butch made the fatal admission that he’d persuaded Si to take his time in the FitReply and for a while it looked like time had stood still. Was that Prof B haunting the Graveyard?!

In the meantime, and to the relief of the scoreboard operator, Tom (48 at an s/r of 72) had kept his head and employed some wonderfully cultured drives and flicks to keep the crowds enthralled – or at least off life support.

After a series of dots to rival the daily output of Bletchley Park some 70 years earlier, the turbochargers suddenly kicked in. Si’s thoughts had clearly turned to the uncomfortable question of Speedos and how to get in them later in the week. As Malaga called, the pounds were shed and he kicked on to score 59 not out at an s/r of 51. Cutting and pulling became de rigour and suddenly the game had changed.

Tom dropped agonisingly short of his maiden half century and, after consecutive century opening partnerships for the Fitmen, was replaced with Butch on a mission.

Tragically the mission was a brief one and simply made space for Jack (19 at s/r 270) to stride in and bully the ball into submission. All over and almost 10 overs to spare. Si's magnificient opening performance left him unbeaten and earned his R&R on the beaches of the Costas.

The crowd were saved from the Bash Bros due in next and Ben’s average safely stays in the top 5 for another week......somehow........