Postman Delivers

Another top team effort saw the Firsts convincingly beat West Bridgfordians to stay top of the League.

After a butter-fingered start to the season, many cynics reckoned we couldn't catch a cold, but Kitcho proved the doubters wrong, turning up with a dose of man flu. XX Dale was a late absentee, but our investment in youth again paid dividends with young pup Boom Boom stepping up.

Tinno lost the toss and was surprised to have the chance to bowl first on a bowler friendly surface at the Field of Dreams. Strongy pleaded with Tinno to bowl down the hill: "I guarantee I'll get you three wickets", was a bullish shout, especially when Day Hiller splilled an early chance with tea making marge still on his hands. Still, after 10 overs the away side were under the cosh at 17-2 with Drurs and Beakey showing safer hands. WB's no.4 came in and smashed a rapid 33 off 22 balls, until strangled down the leg side by Strongy, was as good as his word, proving harder to part with the ball than Barcelona, finishing with 4-39 off his 10 overs.

Bobby kept up the pressure with some tight flight. Tinno tried in vain to push the field back, but got short shrift, a quick conversation between captain and vice ended with captain agreeing that vice was right; "I haven't bowled for 20 years to have my field set for me", growled the Big Bear, on the way to 4-32. Strongy took a fine catch in the deep, but was pipped to the fielding award by Tuckers who pouched a steepling slog on the boundary at long on, somehow landing inside the rope. Day Hiller supported well with 1-28, and brother Andy threw in a rocket for a run out off the last ball of the innings to see us to maximum bowling points, WB's all out for 151.

Not for the first time, The Hiller Sisters copied Tinno's lead, producing an almost identical tea. The opposition were full of compliments for the tea ladies, tucking in with relish to the impressive chicken tikka on french bread, while cherry Bakewells caught the Chairman's retro eye. Less successful was the fresh pasta surprise, quickly uncovered as a student's store cupboard favourite.

In contrast, the Youth Policy's watching mates had a gourmet feast; dressed crab, quails' eggs and Moroccan couscous being washed down by champagne and chianti.

In reply, Tinno's plan was to simply keep wickets in hand, though he took this to the extreme, still stuck on 1 after facing 35 balls, all but blunting the tip of super scorer Shelley's coloured pen. The Skip was struggling with the slow pitch, playing far too early on two short balls that crashed into his bread basket. Fortunately Ted didn't need any extra padding against the quickies, and was tucking into anything short with the same gusto as the tea time sausage rolls, making a fine 37 in an opening stand of 75.

Against the change bowling the Postman delivered some knock out blows needing only 50 more balls to reach 61 before top edging to the keeper. Jay (27*) and Drurs (15*) saw us home comfortably without further loss to claim the maximum 20 points.