Grant Edges It For Firsts

An amazing last ball victory for the fabulous Firsts away at Unity Casuals.

Rocket lost the toss and we were condemned to three hours hard graft in blistering heat. Field positions were to be communicated by hand gesture only with an 80's disco pounding in Yazz and Rick Astley from over the pavilion, while the junior football comp' on the adjacent field had the microphone dialled up to the max. The Miller Sisters had more than a passing interest in the inflatable bouncy slide.

Despite not taking a wicket in the initial 20 overs our pace attack was miserly, supported by great fielding from Mr Tuckwell in particular. Rocket probed away outside off stump, while Bill and then Ben wobbled it in the extreme humidity, Andy going for just 11 in his 6 overs.

Finally Bobby made the breakthrough with a back leg LBW. Monty came in at no.3 and was immediately teeing off like his name sake Colin. Bobby saved his plums but not his blushes spilling a sharp caught and bowled, and this signalled an hour of carnage.

Unity's vast outfield was proving harder to defend than Gordon Brown's taxation policy. Fielding in the deep required binoculars to pick out the action on the square and emergency air traffic control was needed at East Midlands to divert incoming planes from a succession of brutal slogs. Drurs was peppered at long on and only managed to tip over a booming drive. Ted swapped with his fellow carthorse and was delighted to be chasing leather. An all run 7 at one stage looked possible.

The Millers were boosted by the arrival of a second drinks break, plus KCC legend Palmer with news that Keyworth Colts had reached the final of the junior football tournament. After an 18 month lay off Paul Lay was doing a fine job behind the stumps with Bomber bowling a series of yorkers that pegged back the score.

To keep the home side to 220-3 at the break was remarkable. Tea was a dry cheerless spread, devoid of any salad. Strong British Rail tea was the highlight unless you were lucky enough to bag a slice of pineapple. After three hours in the heat the regular Stiffs players were hallucinating with news that melon, strawberries and chocolate cake was on the menu back at the Field of Dreams.

Unity's quickie paced out his run up to the outskirts of Ruddington and we spent an hour on the back foot. The Sisters had by now lost interest in the bouncy slide and were more concerned with the uneven number of paces in the quickie's run up, which bang on cue led to a no ball. Then controversy. Grant swished at a wide one and everyone in the ground seemed to hear a snick bar the umpire and our deaf Aussie.

Shortly after Iggy was out for 17. Ted took a while to get going but was soon rolling back the years with some lovely lofts off his legs, harking back to his pomp with a fine 30. Rocket was unusually scratchy taking 20 balls for his solitary run.

Drurs came in at 5 and was soon running between the wickets with all the mobility of a dalek. It was therefore boundaries or bust. Shelley was soon swapping the club sun hat for a tin hat as the pair targeted the shorter pavilion boundary. Grant opened his second innings with three sixes and Drurs lamped two more off the hapless spinner, one landing in the first floor bar! The pair put on 106 to set up a fabulous finale. After three hours and a minute at the crease, GP was finally out caught in the penultimate over for 87 off 131 balls.

Bobby strode to the crease. For the first, and probably only time in his career, Drurs was able to tell his big hitting pal to push a single. It was in one ear and out the other though as Rob swung and missed.

12 were need off the final over. Drurs was caught on the boundary for 49 off 57 balls, but had brought Rob back on strike. A massive six then notched the tension levels up even higher. With the line in sight, Rob couldn't quite clear the long off boundary, out for a priceless 12. Dougie hadn't yet faced a delivery and was joined by Tuckers with two needed for victory off the final ball. Dougie clubbed the ball to mid wicket and saw Tuckers already lapping him. Our Aussie hero turned to see a wayward throw and dived into his ground to secure the winning run.

An unbelievable victory with everyone from 1 to 11 contributing.