Alex's All Stars (Home) won by 2 wickets*****

* Pittmans Secretarial College
** Middlesex poly (as was)
*** Leeds uni
**** Durham uni
***** LSE

Another day, another trade press interview. Broadcast Magazine (who?) did a profile piece thingy on mentors and wanted to know who mine was. John Clemens, my old boss back in the day was the lucky winner. Twas John who coined the phrase "Experience and cunning will always beat youth and enthusiasm". And he's right. Just ask Alex, Verity's other half and the captain of our opponents on Saturday.

So they were hung-over. Boo-hoo. And in the middle of A Levels. Boo-hoo again. They had 4/5 top drawer club players plus one or two who had never played before (bit like us then). But they batted first. And lost. All out for 170 in 27 overs with their last 7 wickets falling in a 7 over spell starting just before drinks. Canfield got the runs with 9 over sand 2 wickets in hand.

So how did we do this? (Andy Silkstone are you reading this?). Well I shall tell you. WE TOOK THE PACE OFF THE BALL. Of their 9 wickets to fall (they only had 10 players, as did we) 6 went to the slow bowling brigade of moi, Harry and JW (sorry JW but your pace aint what it was). And Charles got 2 WHEN HE TOOK THE PACE OFF THE BALL. Bang it in quick and short to orthodox club players and see what happens. And Mitch and Steve bowled well as a matter of fact but still inevitably leaked runs to an experienced attack. But a slow ball, on a length, wicket-to-wicket? Ahem. I know what I'm doing, part 76...

And we batted well. Steve got 46 and played patiently hitting the bad ball, leaving the good ball. So did Trevor. And Angus can always smack a wayward bowler at 2nd change which is why he now comes in at 4 or 5 in the order. Chas chipped in with 20-odd following his 75 no on Friday in the 20 Twenty game against Dunmow. It wsa left to POB and Harry to see us home, Patrick staring on his 64th birthday and Harry smacking the winning boundary. Alex came off genuinely puzzled. Boy, you lot have missed me.

And I had an okay game. Two wickets (including getting Toby, Verity's ex - why does she always date cricketers? - for a golden) and being on a hat-trick for the 2nd time this season. Everyone said they were pleased to see me back. Sort of. A bit of fun in the field, some banter and encouragement goes a long way and EVERYONE got a game.

MoM: JW - ever willing, opened the bowling, 2 wickets to get rid of their openers - well done
Champagne moment - POB batting away on his 64th birthday

Well done Verity for the tea (even if it was a bit of a rush when we all came in ahead of schedule) and well done Alex's team mates who were great sports, great fun, mature and immensely likeable... for teenagers anyway. Let's make it a regular fixture. Some of them even put their names down for cricket week - good all round.

I have missed playing on Saturdays. It was a good laugh. An so much more fun than being stranded on the cover boundary watching a 267 run lead disappear in 30-odd overs wondering why no-one is, you guessed it, taking the pace off the ball.

See you on tour.

Easy now...


Nipples