Game, Sett and Match for Badgers CC

Sunday 3rd May 2015, and the return of Sunday cricket to God’s country: Brownacres. The visitors were Badgers CC, who would’ve been buoyed by their victory over Vandals in 2014 by 6 wickets, bowling out the hosts for a meagre 75.

Captain Hills was in no mood for a repeat of last season’s result. Although having batted first, he wouldn’t have been too happy with Vandals’ start, losing Dan “Popeye” Fenton for a duck, Alistair “Pup” Booth for seven and himself for one. Vandals were treading the tightrope at 62/4, which set the scene for one man, a man - indeed – Aman to do some recovery work. Aman belted 92* from 60 balls to show his teammates how to bat and was assisted by Jimmy Randerson (1), Dillo (9) and Stuart McGill Bruce Magill (9*) to carry the total up to 183/7 at innings closure. This was a good recovery following a fairly nocturnal start (bar Garry “Berol” Foreman’s 38 at the top of the order).

Enter the bowlers. Geoff and Randall opened up, and economically so – returning figures of 6-2-16-0 and 8-3-15-1 respectively to get the Vandals off to a good start. The hunt for Badgers was on, who never really left their set in the chase bar S. Pitts’s 37, before falling LBW to Dillo (7-0-21-2) and M. Gordon’s 34 before he was caught and bowled by Giggsy (6-0-22-1). At 85/6, Badgers still required 99 to win and unfortunately for them it appeared that they hadn’t enough time to infect Vandals with tuberculosis – which would’ve been their only real chance of victory at that stage. Their seventh wicket fell at 125 and the Badgers finished up 138/7, but had run out of overs and thus that was the badger for Happy Sundays, who officially speaking, got a draw out of the game, but I don't recognise draws so easily.

SB.