Fitmen v President’s XI
Match abandoned without a ball being bowled

The confident forecast of rain clearing by 2pm proved staggeringly wrong and indications are that the team meteorologist was inadvertently checking the Alabama version instead of Birmingham England.
However, despite this minor setback the day had its moments.

Hon Sec’s wheeze of bringing his recent £1 Car Boot purchase proved popular and the slogan on the side of Mike Atherton’s 1995 World Cup Cricket game wasn’t kidding……’Almost better than the real thing’. Certainly it lived up to its billing as “The original action packed table-top cricket game”.

Openers Turge Jr and Bicemeister picked up the batting awards and the latter went home with a chilled bottle of Sainsbury’s 3rd finest Prosecco for his dexterity in manipulating a small plastic figure holding a super glued back together bat.
eBay have some available for those who missed out - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MIKE-ATHERTON-WORLD-CUP-CRICKET-GAME-BY-PETER-PAN-CIRCA-1995-COMPLETE-/151093001012

St Austell’s “Tribute” Ale was a Pale amber colour with the smell of Grapefruit and other exotic fruits. It was Smooth, slightly gassy but fruity and light throughout – in fact a pleasant go-to session ale. A small cheer (sigh of relief?) went up at 5:34 when the final pint was served to Turge Senior who admired its 4.2% run rate.

The BBQ kept the temperature up and the consumers of the gourmet burgers were grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by a herd of Aberdeen Angus. For those of a more ‘fluffy’ disposition, you will be relieved to know that no animals were used in the manufacturing of the ‘luxury’ sausages.

An early tea (about an hour after the late BBQ lunch) witnessed magnificent pakora and a new addition from the House of Sedhava………….. gram flour samosas in a breadcrumb coating…………. Awaiting peer reviews on the latter.

Then…………5pm………..rain lifted………action……………

Cometh the hour etc……………when the rains finally lifted (for about 30 minutes), Thommo prepared a competitive wicket for a ‘bowl out’ compy in front of the clubhouse (a small trout lake had appeared where the ‘real’ wicket was supposed to be). An over each, all you need to do is to hit one of three stumps 22 yards away………….£1 in and winner takes the kitty………..simples. The stats were: 18 overs (i.e. 108 balls), 11 on target. Strike rate 10.185. Blame it on “The Tribute”?

Rob Kenyon won the 3-way bowl- off bowl-off tie after eventually hitting the stumps a magnificent 3 times in 12 attempts and also went home with a magnificently discounted bottle of Sainsbury’s 3rd best.

The whole day then kind of petered out…………..Charlie was up for a few beers in The Village with Guy who looked to have already dropped off.
The Ashfield 5 star hospitability specialists were in top form…………….just the weather!