Two catches from Stephen H - one a stunning virtuoso effort by the boundary rope - turned the tide for Cincers on Saturday.
Day Two of the Devon tour was looking decidedly dicey with four overs to go.
Hosts Lustleigh needed just over 30 to win off four overs but with wickets to spare.
Take the Pin Out (AKA Richard) was running - or should that be 'trundling'? - in to bowl.
The game had reached its climax.
Lustleigh skipper Mike, on 46, tensed and then launched TTPO to longish mid-off.
'Hallers' pouched it, no problem.
The batsmen had crossed, bringing Gaurav - treacherously batting for the oppo as they were men short - on strike.
With a stride or two, he met a classic Hadlow 'grenade ball' full in the middle of the bat and stroked it imperiously for a straight six to long-off.
Or so he thought.
At the last moment, Stephen H moved and plucked the ball out of the air before pulling himself up inches from the rope.
Was it as good as his Entrecasteaux effort of last year? No. But it was a damn close-run thing.
And with that, barring the odd drama and slogged boundary, the game was in the bag.
The venue yesterday, Lustleigh on the edge of Dartmoor, was surely one of the most beautiful grounds we've ever played in.
It was a classic picture-postcard, village pitch, tucked away down a steep track, bordered by streams and lush, over-hanging trees.
'If it hits anything on a tree, it's a six,' said Lustleigh's Mike.
Our skipper took him at his word and got clouted for a square six when he was bowling.
Once again, just like Friday, the Captain was prevailed upon to bat first after the oppo said they were weak in the batting department.
They were also several men short so we lent them Frank (who loves nothing better than to play against his own side) and more controversially, Gaurav.
'Are you sure about Gaurav?' asked the Chairman.
He was right to be nervous.
Not long afterwards, Gaurav took the catch at shortish mid-on that ended the Chairman's innings.
Tom followed shortly afterwards, caught by Cincers' Chris (we'd also lent them two other fielders to make up for late-comers).
To rub it in, the bowler was Frank.
But then Selfish and Stephen H prospered, although the sticky, bounceless, rain-affected pitch was never easy.
We were going at about four an over and looking to accelerate when Selfish perished for 47.
With JP still feeling his way back in after his enforced summer lay-off, that left Hallers as our main weapon.
But on 49, he went too, stumped as he went for consecutive boundaries.
Thereafter, we fell away a bit to finish on 134 for 9.
In the field, though, Lustleigh were pegged back.
Thanks to very tight bowling from Chris and Stephen, they were going at less than two an over.
It was all going swimmingly until Hallers went and got a wicket.
Enter Frank, batting so high up the order he should have had a nose-bleed.
Bustling with Aussie energy, he soon carved a boundary (Lustleigh's first) and scampered a few quick singles.
Facing Hallers, the team coach was clearly determined to show us what to play at and what not, with one particularly finely-judged leave outside off.
But against Chris the following over, he left one too many.
His off stump was knocked back to wild jubilation from Cincers.
A few balls later, Chris struck again - another clean-bowled in a highly impressive spell.
Lustleigh were well and truly pegged back, with Cincers' modest total looking a tall order.
The Skip, replacing Chris, began well by bowling a maiden.
But afterwards, he lost his line and length, with his remaining four overs going for 37 no less.
How long has he spent in the winter nets?
Test Match, restored to full bowling position, kept us in, though.
He went for barely two an over.
The Skip, meanwhile, withdrew to lick his wounds and called on Selfish to dry up the runs.
He promptly removed one of Lustleigh's main batsmen.
Fielding at square leg, Take the Pin Out courageously dived and went down with a fearful thump.
He saved a boundary but at a price...he did his shoulder a mischief.
Thankfully, he was able to come on to replace Test Match.
So the scene was set for 'caught S. Hall bowled R. Hadlow' combination to bring the curtain down on a great match.
Many thanks to Lustleigh for a wonderful game, venue and delicious cream tea.
* PICTURE CAPTION: Exit stage left the Vice-Skip after a controversial run-out...enter stage left Dee.
ENDS
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