SCORECARD

Whitehall Wanderers
Fitmen Win by 55 runs

Arriving at Barnt Green Cricket club it was a suprise to see a team of touring Aussies playing a game at the host club. Had the pitch been double booked? No, we just had to hold back and enjoy another win against our antipodean friends, and the first team pitch was ours for the remainder of the evening.

So to the toss - the skipper stuck to his usual policy of calling heads fully expecting to lose the toss and be asked to field. But no for the first time in something approaching 2 years the coin fell tails down! Arggggh the toss had been won: confusion and panic set in, a decision needed to be taken! The skipper thought it would be nice for the boys to bat first and give what has been an all conquering mid-week batting unit the chance to rack up a huge total. He was not to be disappointed. Even with batsmen being forced to retire on 25, the highest score of the season - and for that matter many seasons - was posted: 167!!!

Captain Frost pulled rank and opened the batting with Richard Bice who, feeling sorry for the oppo, walked after being caught from a bump ball, the bowler hadn't even bothered to appeal. This brought Mark Tucker to the wicket who quickly smashed 25 retired and left the captain wondering how to hit a boundary. Jack C was next to the wicket and still dreaming of last weeks 69 was boweld for four after 4 balls.

Soon after having had to run all but 4 of his runs Frost got to his 25 and departed the scene leaving Simon Howarth and Mark Butcher at the crease. Howarth is in fine form and has shaken off the torpor of previous seasons and he smashed 25 in just 13 balls. Adrian Martin strode to the wicket wielding his new 20/20 weapon. This proved to be little use as he stratched arround for a couple before falling lbw. This left Mark Butcher and Andy Tarr to finish things off. Andy registered his highest total for the Fitmen, 14 not out, and Mark kept the run rate up with an unbeaten 21 from 16 balls.

With bowlers limited to just 2 overs each there would be plenty of chance for the club pie chuckers to show the bowlers how it should be done. Volcanic (Ash) opened up and soon had their opener caught at deepish extra cover (What was Aid doing there he had definatley been posted to save the single). Jon Howes opened up from the other end and bowled well without reward.

So to the pie chuckers, your correspondent has lost his note on who did what but here are the highlights that can be reccalled. Simon Howarth followed up his fine knock by seeing off the number 3, who was hitting it to all parts, buy serving up a few choice pies that the batsmen tucked into finally posting his 25 and retiring with a 6 over square leg. He did however redeem himself by taking a wicket in his next over.

Andy Tarr took two, Jim Frost and Jack Caesar took one each and Richard Bice finished things off by clean bowling the returning number three. The pressure got to the Wanderers' tail end - who appeared to want to get back their retired number 3 - resulting in two run outs from Howarth and Ash.

In the end the Wanderers fell well short of what was an impressive target, although the way he was seeing the ball, another few overs of Whitehall's sole retiree could have got them pretty close.

Mention to Martin who took two catches and Tucker a fine stumping.

So the unbeaten (we have forgotton the defeat to the sportsman as the skipper did not play in that game) Fitmen machine rolls on to Old Doms next week.