Continued

Game 4 v Old Paulines - Skipper Cross won toss and batted (at least he’s a good tosser..) Timed game but felt obliged to declare after 40 overs or we'd have no chance to bowl them out. Don't think we'd be happy if opposition batted on after 5 o’clock but maybe we’re just too nice...) 121 for 8 (very slow outfield, we all felt that it was worth 160 plus on any other ground. Jerricho 22 (from 74 deliveries), Lailey 21, Wides 23 were the top scorers (thanks god for the extras! 32 in all!!) However, outfield had quickened up and despite having them at 20 for 2 (should have been 3 but dropped a catch...) they made the runs with 6 overs to spare (so not that bad a declaration after all) for 4 wickets down. Griffiths 11 overs 2 for 34, Talpe 5 overs 1 for 19, Lailey 7 overs 1 for 23. CROSS DNB, 1 over 0 for 11 (absolute shite) and dropped a catch off Griffiths so was not in the running for man of the match, and Dougall buggered a hamstring whilst being run out for 3 and may be out for several weeks. Happy day. (IC)

Game 5 v Old Dorkinians - After another dodgy start by Chadwick, two wickets down for one run ,yes you guessed it Max didn't get his four!

A rallying partnership between Gamini (31) and Trevor (19) of 49 and another collapse, Joe (40 not out), and Will put on a partnership of 33 (Will scored 4) and Joe and Crossy with a 10th wkt stand of 15 meant Chadwick managed a "semi respectable" total of 137.

Chadwick lived up to their high fielding standards with a few dropped catches .Old Dorkinians made the 138 in about 34 overs, losing 5 wickets. Pick of the bowling figures Gam 2 for 26 off 8 and Joe (surely the man of the match?gf) 1 for 12 also off 8 (Joe G)

Game 6 v Surrey Ovalites - Gamini kept up the tradition of our skippers being useless tossers and unsurprisingly they opted to bat which only pleased Jerricho as the rest of us, having analysed the teams and the pitch clearly hoped we'd have a go first, especially as we hadn't taken a wicket on this ground for over two years!! As expected "Duracell Dave" (how does he keep going?!) and the more than lucky Keano got them off to a strong start, but miracles can happen as Gamini took the top off Keano's leg stump to claim that maiden West Wickham Wicket!! However it was all downhill from there as their strong batting line up piled on the runs, add to that a huge slice of bad luck with what seemed like every other ball going in the air and dropping safe, some actual dropped catches and a cheeky bit of play involving a "free hit" which was confirmed as legal by a spectating umpire one Jim Howard (whose side is he on!?!) and we were doomed! Fawcett bowled consistently well with no luck, dropped a sharp chance at slip but made up for it with a tricky catch at mid off, First wickets for young Will Ballantine, one for Rocky and as we were in need of bowlers, Tim Ballantine kept and Trevor Perera bowled and took 2 which included a ct behind..so the book could read ct wk..b wk!! Ovalites 208 for 6. Best part of the day as always was the Tea...

Lailey (18) and Talpe (22) with an opening stand of 33 and a fine 38 from Perera were the highlights and as next highest score was Fawcett 9 not out, batting at No 11 you may guess we lost this one.. yup all out for 106. Special mention to their colt 13 year old mini Mierzynsky..scored some runs including a couple of big fours, just missed out on a hat -trick and took the last catch of the day to end the match...oh and what a joy it was to smack Packers for a four again!!

Thanks Ovalites for yet another classic (GF)