Duel in the setting sun ends in last-over victory at Finchley as Chris P & H hold their nerve

Not much riding on it, lads.
Two overs to go, Finchley's fast bowlers steaming in and the sun seemingly setting on Cincers' chances of a winning season yesterday.
Six games won, six lost and it came down to the last 12 balls of 2012.
And the last two wickets.
Chris P and Chris Hope at the crease, the run-rate suddenly soaring to seven an over and the next man in - the Skip - nipping nervously in and out of the loo.
'I think this has slipped away,' sighed one distinctive Antipodean voice from the pavilion.
The day started remarkably well.
Nearly everyone was on time. Sort of.
Abid, of course, had seen through the ruse of pretending it was a 12 noon start and rolled up with Majid and new signing Ali at nearer to 1pm.
It was to be a family affair with Dee and his son Gaurav playing for us and Dee's other Saj skippering the home side.
Oh, and Dee's nephew Krisa batted two for Finchley.
As far as we know, no-one else on either side was a member of the Hingorani tribe but you may know better.
Finchley, fielding their strongest side yet for a Sunday game v Cincers, batted first.
They were unpleasantly surprised by the pace and accuracy of Ali who began with a maiden and ended up giving just six runs off four overs.
At the other end, Chris P was also tight.
He struck first, thanks to a sharp catch by Majid at mid-off.
Not long after, Majid himself struck without bowling a ball.
He ran out Finchley's dangerous number three with a direct hit, thrown under-arm.
When Chris P struck again, courtesy of a catch square of the wicket by Gaurav, Finchley were rocking at 21 for 3 off about 10 overs.
Enter Saj.
He and Krisa started to right the innings, with Saj in particular striking some meaty blows.
Just for the fun of it (well, he was asked to), the Skip brought Gaurav on to bowl.
So it was younger brother bowling at older brother with father keeping wicket.
It was all set up....for Gaurav to miss a dead-cert run-out.
Saj, in full IPL mode, had charged down the wicket from the non-striker's end.
He got sent back but was so far out, he needed a bus ride to get back in.
But the thrill of wrecking his brother's day (and winning some complex inter-Hingorani family bet not authorised by the Gaming Board) got to Gaurav.
He threw miles wide when he could walked up to the stumps, had a cup of tea and then taken the bails off.
That wasn't the end of it.
Not long afterwards, with Saj still grinning at his let-off, he edged one off Gaurav to the keeper.
Dee, as sharp a reflex-catcher as Cincers has had all season, could only tip it away with his finger tips.
'It's because he loves Saj more than Gaurav,' came the cruel quip from one of Finchley's umpires.
Should we add that Gaurav also put Saj down at point? No, that would be rubbing it in.
With the innings at 70 and the run-rate increasing, Krisa holed out off Majid to Chris P at mid-off.
Five runs later, another wicket fell - with Chris P again the catcher hareing in from mid-on to give Gaurav his first of the day.
Saj, though, was powering on.
And he was joined by Finchley's usual opener, Jilesh, a compact left-hander with a bit of a Sangakarra-esque look to him.
Well, the Skip would say that because he got him out.
Coming on after the drinks' break, he floated one up (what else does he do?) only for the batsmen to miscue round the corner where Chris Hope took a good catch.
There was better to come.
In his second over, the Skip was charged by Saj, done by flight, guile and vicious turn (we can tell who writes this rubbish) and smartly stumped by Dee.
When FInchley's big-hitting 'G' nicked one off Gaurav to Dee, Finchley were well and truly tottering at 114 for 8.
It should have been nine down shortly after.
With both batsmen at the wrong end and the Skip bellowing 'bowler's!', a run-out looked certain.
Dee got the ball up the other end. Not the best throw he's ever made but it should have been safely gathered by the Captain and the bails taken off.
Er..instead, it rolled harmlessly through his legs.
How the game restarted after that Keystone Cops' climax, God only knows.
But the farce took the edge of Cincers' game and the match drifted.
The Skip got carted for a few too many boundaries.
He and Abid started having a domestic, culminating in Abid at short-cover downing a sharp chance and compounding the error by telling the bowler 'I almost got you a catch'.
Almost. A word which gives so much meaning. But not a wicket.
Finchley were putting on the runs.
It took Frank at one end and Abid, after virtually threatening legal action if he didn't get a bowl, to finish of the innings from the other end.
Finchley closed with 4.2 of their allotted 40 overs unused.
But 163 was a tall ask.
It got even taller when we saw the quality of their bowling.
Majid's unfamiliarity with Finchley's electronic scoreboard meant that our run-rate to begin with looked astronomical - 1 for 0 off 0 balls.
As soon as he'd reset it, reality hit back with a vengeance.
Test Match was bowled for a duck.
He had been a reluctant opener on the day.
'I've had two hours' sleep because of the baby. Oh, and I can't see much out of my right eye,' he told the Skip.
'Join the club,' the Captain muttered softly.
Gaurav and Ali, though, started brightly.
We were well ahead of the run-rate.
After a very harem-scarem shots from Ali, the Skip was about to ask Take the Pin Out (sadly injured but umpiring for us) to tell him to calm down.
Too late. Next ball, Ali skied one and departed.
Moyners was next in, not before a few nervous 'have they any quickies' queries before he trotted out.
They did.
Shortly after he arrived, Finchley put on Dinesh...probably the quickest bowler we've faced all season.
From the sidelines, the Skip quietly reflected on the wisdom of batting himself at 11.
That said, the Gaurav/Moyners' partnership prospered.
Gaurav in particular played some sumptuous drives through cover and mid-off.
It was all going so well until Dinesh jagged one back in sharply...so sharply, he cracked one of the stumps.
Gaurav was gone but for a well-played 40.
Next in was Frank, hustling out with that familiar hunched look, sniffing the air and relishing the scrap.
And a scrap it was.
To our horror, he almost holed out before being dropped by G.
Saj's legspin (similar to our Skipper's but quicker and with the added ingredient of some actual spin) had Prenesti baffled.
Coach, coach yourself!
It was offspin, though, that did for him - a flat, sharply-turning delivery from Finchley's Will that pitched outside off and took the Aussie's leg stump.
He and Moyners had put on 40-odd at a decent lick.
But at 90 for four, we still need 74 to win.
Abid arrived but then departed for 0, bowled trying to tickle a right-arm round-the-wicket spinner down to fine leg.
Majid started as he finished last week's game - by whacking two fours square.
When Finchley responded by putting a man back on the boundary, Majid took due notice and then hit it straight to him.
That was his first humiliation. His second was being told by Abid and Ali, in Urdu, what a stupid shot it was.
Now it was our turn to totter. Not much over a 100 on the board and six down.
But as I said, this was a family affair.
Out came Dee to steady the ship and, in partnership with Moyners, get the show back on the road.
Some lovely late-cuts from Hingorani Senior, combined with trade-mark, middle-of-the-bat boundaries from Tim M, led to a few Finchley heads drooping.
History, well, the scorebook, doesn't record who was out next but let's assume it was Dee.
'It was the first straight one he'd bowled,' said Dee...which is presumably why he missed it. (Nets resume in October, folks).
As he strode out, Chris P, batting at nine, had all the confidence and bravura of a man going to the gallows.
And when Moyners went for a quick single (yes, that's right) to one of Finchley's best fielders (G), it looked all over.
A direct hit sent the batsman on his way for a fine 44 but seemingly not enough on the day.
Chris Hope, playing his second game for Cincers, was in at 10.
Busy running between the two Chris's seemed to calm Cincers' frayed nerves but slowly, slowly, the run rate started to climb.
A bead of sweat rolled down the Captain's brow as he fiddled with his bat and contemplated going in.
And so it all came down to those two overs.
Fourteen runs needed. Just two wickets left.
Too much with G back on at one end, surely.
Surely not!
With a swish, Chris H, batting in a bumble-patterned cap,hit a priceless four.
Chris P, who until then had dealt in singles, struck a three.
Another three came from Chris H.
Cincers on the side were going wild.
With Frank giving the Skip a bear-hug to calm his nerves, a huge cheer rang out when Chris P hit the single that drew the scores level.
So 14 off two became one off six.
Last over of the season and Finchley were forced to bring every man in.
The scene now truly was set - set for a swash-buckling end to the 2012 season.
No nervous jab from Chris P to finish it.
No, a might heave to mid-on, a boundary to bring victory and the curtain down.
And presumably to bring down those gallows he'd been expecting when he walked out!
A great finish and a great game.
Many thanks to Finchley for being fine hosts as ever and to Paddy for a great tea.
And many, many thanks to all Cincers for another great season.
Final result: played 13, won 7, lost 6.

It's Majid the Magnifico under the hot Clapton sun but 'five-man' Cincers just can't tether the Camels

A blistering innings from Majid kept Cincers in the game yesterday.
Under the burning Clapton sun, the pace bowler turned middle-order maestro to smash 71 in rapid time.
Backed up by a late flurry from Dee and with even the Skip hitting a four off the innings's penultimate ball, Cincers posted a formidable 158 for 9 off the allotted 30.
But it was not enough.
Down to just three team regulars and with the game only proceeding thanks to opponents Camel pooling their players with ours, Cincers were short of front-line bowlers.
The Camels crossed the line with an over to spare, with their skipper Guy hitting a fine undefeated half-century.
Millfields at Clapton offered no changing facilties, no toilets and even a problem with parking.
What it did provide was a cracking wicket and close-cropped, lightening outfield.
We had only three regulars - Dee, Majid and the Skip - with Abdullah playing only his second.
Newcomer Neil was playing his first....er, game of cricket, that is!
Camel generously shared some of their players with ours to make it a match, a sort of seven v eight, with dismissed batsmen allowed to come back in until 10 wickets were down.
Under the baking sun of what was one of the hottest days in London this summer, the Skip won the toss and put us in.
We started slowly but then lost two wickets.
The Skip was going well until he smashed a full toss back over the bowler's head - and watched in astonishment as it stopped going over the bowler's head and into his out-stretched arm.
The bowler - Camel's Jason (he of the right/left batting style of an earlier game) - was mobbed by his team-mates.
To make matters worse for the Captain, he couldn't even walk off.
Because of the shortage of players, he had to start umpiring immediately.
But Camel's Matt - batting for us - kept his head down and began to build the crucial partnership of the innings with Majid.
The paceman whacked 11 fours and one five after a run-out attempt went for over-throws.
Matt may only have scored 15 but he stayed with Majid while the other man cut loose.
Dee - on his second go at the crease - made a quick 12 while the Skip (also second-time round) took 9 off the last three balls.
A score of 158 off 30 would take some getting.
But with a great pitch and fast outfield, Camels were always in with a chance.
They showed their intent with a series of snatched one's and two's (er..Cincers still doesn't do this enough) even though Majid and Abdullah started well as Cincers' opening duo.
But the Camel batsmen were up with the rate and no wicket down....until a mix-up mid-wicket by the batsmen.
A sharp throw by the Skip came in to the non-striker's end and Majid at the stumps took the bails off.
Camels' dangerman Jason clubbed a four off the Skip but then he holed out off Matt to Neil at mid-on.
The astonished fielder couldn't believe he'd taken the chance. Great effort.
At the other end, Majid took a fine catch at cow corner off the Skip but the leggie let himself down with were one or two too many boundaries.
That said, Camel's Skelly, fielding for Cincers, almost pulled off a stunning catch off the Skip at short cover before pouching a second, easier chance in the same position.
A quite extraordinary over-his-head catch at mid-wicket by Jason (fielding for us) gave Skelly a wicket.
But the Skip shelled a fiercely-driven shot that would have been a superb caught and bowled...had he taken it.
bdullah chipped in with a clean bowled but all the while, Camels' skipper Guy was pressing on.
At one point as pressure mounted, he eased it by powerfully hitting Majid back over his head to the long-on boundary.
We were running out of bowlers.
So off came Dee's keeping pads (given to Skelly) and he bowled two tight overs as good as any of the regulars.
It was Neil - the newcomer - who had the honour of bowling the last over with just a few needed to win.
Not great organising by the Skip but then under 26 degrees of sun, Lancastrians do get sunstroke.
Victory came off the final ball of Neil's maiden over - and I mean maiden - in cricket.
Well done to Neil on his first match.
Many thanks to Camels' Matt and Skelly for playing for us.
And thanks to Guy, James and all at Camels for allowing the game to go ahead.

A trip down memory lane for the Chairman but no cigar as Cincers stumble at final Tour hurdle

What! No sightscreens?
The Chairman's spiritual cricket home and not a white-washed,iron-wheeled sightscreen in sight for him to spend ages moving this way, that way....and back again.
No worries, as Frankie says - everything else at Totnes and Dartington CC's pitch was tip-top.
The cream tea scones, the warm welcome and the stunning rolling-countryside views were all first rate.
Only two things marred the day: the unforecast drizzle and...... our batting.
Winning the toss yet again, the Skip confidently put us in and expectations were high.
Test Match and Selfish started cautiously, with an eye to building a big score in the 40-over game.
Going at barely two an over against a tight Totnes attack, we'd reached 57 when Tim fell for 17.
Very soon after, Simon went for 35.
Gaurav, who had hit a confident cover-drive for two off his first ball, and Stephen H looked set to build a sizeable partnership.
But then both were bowled in quick succession, Frank came and went and so did Dee.
The Skip, due in at seven, postponed his arrival to promote bigger hitters such as Tom and Alex.
Sadly, there was to be no repeat of Alex's 20/20 heroics from Friday night apart from one lustily-struck four.
Tom tried in vain to work up a partnership with the Cincers' tale.
The Skip's shot against the sort of gentle spin he dishes up was an object-lesson....in what not to to with nine overs left.
He was bowled. 102 for 9.
Richard H prides himself on not being out but the last wicket partnership could only garner another five runs after Tom skied one. He was caught for 10.
Defending 107 over 40 overs against a clearly talented home side was always going to be what you'd call 'challenging'.
But thrown the new ball by the Skip (OK, on Frank's advice), Selfish delivered the goods - getting a couple of early wickets clean-bowled.
Gaurav went close from the other end but Totnes were always up with the rate.
Another three wickets fell - two more to Simon (to make him leading Tour wicket taker) and one to Tim testing the Dartington wicket with his offies for the first time in many a long year.
But Selfish even had a hand in his wicket, taking a superb diving catch at mid-on.
With not much more than 10 to win, the spinners came on - Richard from what we'll call the Cream Tea End (near the Pavilion) and the Skip from the Cow End.
The denouement came off the last ball of the 25th over - a flighted full toss from Richard which the opposition skip deposited for a square six into the waiting hedgerow to finish on 65 not out.
And with that, the curtain came down on the playing part of the 2012 Tour.
Many thanks to Totnes and Dartington for their fine hospitality.
Thank you to Dee for keeping over two days, taking a couple of fearful blows from sharp throws and for carting the Skipper's kit around.
Ta to Richard H for the tour pics.
And many thanks to the Chairman for organising the entire weekend. A superb job.
* Player of the Tour: S. Bevan - 82 runs and five wickets.
* Tour newcomer award: C. Payne 3 wickets (best spell - 2 for 9 off 7 v Lustleigh)
* Tour fielder award: S. Hall (for his match-winning catch v Lustleigh)
* Top score of the Tour: T. Ross (50 v Cavendish Cavaliers)
Other stats:
* A. West - top score of 39 (v Cavendish Cavaliers)
* R. Hadlow - four wickets (best - 2 for 18 off 4 v Cavendish Cavaliers)
* B. Carlin - two wickets (best - 2 for 3 off 4 v Cavendish Cavaliers)
* F. Prenesti - two wickets (best of 1 for 28 off 7 v Cincers playing for Lustleigh)
* S. Hall - 78 runs (best of 49 v Lustleigh) One wicket.
* T. Lowe - 33 runs (best of 21 v Cavendish Cavaliers). One wicket.
* T. Ross - 79 runs. Two wickets.
* D. Hingorani (keeper). Two catches, one stumping and one run-out.
* G. Hingorani three wickets (best - 2 for six off two v Cavendish Cavaliers) 20 runs.
OUR PICTURE: 'You hit 'em, I'll catch 'em'. Tom and Westie appear to be discussing tactics for their final Totnes night-out

'Cool Hand Hall' to the rescue at deep long-off as Cincers snatch late victory at Lustleigh

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

'Tonking' Tim leads Cincers to opening tour victory - but where were the sixes? asks latecomer Selfish

Forget Test Match and say hello to 'Tonking Tim Ross!'
The Chairman (quick-fire 50) declared the Cincers 2012 Devon tour by leading us to a storming 20/20 victory
Aided by Westie (39) and Tom (21), Tim put Torquay's Cavendish Cavaliers to the sword with an impressive 142 total.
In reply,  Cavaliers put up a brave but doomed fight.
In the gathering gloom (well, pitch-black night really) they  could only muster 40 all out - 'just one more than I scored', said Westie.
Winning the toss on a rain-affected pitch,  the Skip had a brainstorm and for once put us in. 
It was a slow, steady start by Test Match and Tom ('do they realise this is a 20/20?' muttered Frankie fielding for the oppo).
The pace quickened after the Skip used all his technical know-how and said: 'Can you hurry up, please?'
Eight off the fourth over, 11 off the fifth and Cincers were up and running.
No mean feat on a sticky, damp wicket.
Tom departed for 21 after announcing he was 'going for it', Test Match - AKA The Chairman - pressed on, hitting 13 in one over.
At the other end,  Mr West was getting into his stride - so much so that the departure of Tim on 50 was no set-back.
Westie was sending the ball so high into the sky there was a momentary panic when a Lancaster bomber (booked not by the Skip but for the Dartmouth regatta) flew low and straight over the wicket.
'Pirates at 5pm,' crackled the RAF radio as they spotted the Skip umpiring.  
Add in a few cultured drives from Stephen H and Cincers passed 140.
All very well, asked Bevan arriving this morning, 'but where were the sixes?' asked Selfish.
Dusk was already falling as Cavaliers - who confessed they were probably the worst team in Devon - began their reply.
They were soon struggling, with Gaurav and Chris P together taking 3 early wickets.
With four overs gone,  the Skip brought himself on and made an astonishing discovery...his flighted leggies work much better in the dark!
(Frank, you're sacked as coach. I'm just bowling at night-time in future).
Cavaliers gamely fought on but with both Take the Pin Out and the Skip taking a couple of wickets each, the match was surely over.
Even Tom went for only a handful of runs (and bagged a wicket). 
As an owl tweeted from a nearby branch, the last rites were read with Frankie nipping out the penultimate batsman and the Chairman taking the final wicket.
As the moon rose over Torquay, a plaintive Devonian cry cut the cool night air:
'Worst team in London my arse!' (which was how The Chairman cunningly described us to get the fixture in the first place).
PS Many thanks to Cavaliers for giving us the game and best of luck for the rest of the season.
PICTURE CAPTION: Fine body of men - Cincers line-up for the opening tour game in Torquay.
ENDS

Camels pull up lame after Cincers put on a spotless performance...with a seamless ball

First, Majid was on time for once.
Then Abid started running two's.
And finally, Tom batted sensibly (almost).
With such a trio of unprecedented events, what could possibly go wrong for Cincers?
Very little, as  Camel Cricket Club found.
Our new opponents (their name comes from their local pub in Bethnal Green) crawled to just 106 all off 32.1 overs.
Tight Cincers' bowling, led by Majid and Chris P, pegged them back before new boy Prudhi (3 wickets), the Skip (2) and Naveed (2) hoovered up the wickets.
Tom took a sharp chance at straightest mid-wicket off one of the Skip's looser (ahem..!) deliveries while Chris snaffled one at cow corner off Richard.
A six for sure if he hadn't caught it.
The innings was prolonged if not in overs then in time when Camel's Jason decided to switch round to playing as a leftie and then decided he had to replace his pads.
Much muttering from us but as he then proceeded to score hardly any runs as a left-hander, why complain? (he had whacked the Skip for a most unsporting right-handed six).
In reply,  Cincers knocked off the runs with nearly nine overs to spare and for just 3 wickets down.
Tom was the star of the show, careful accumulating ('You feeling OK, Tom?' asked the Skip) on his way to 26.
Whereupon, he holed out trying to hit the winning runs with a boundary.
Was he out to a legside swipe to mid-wicket? Yes he was!
Before that, Abid and Majid opening up broke the back of Camel's resistance, with Majid in particular plundering the boundaries.
He went for 22, Abid for 11 (but including a couple of "all-run" two's) and Moyners finished on 24 not out.
A minor ball controversy coloured the game.
It was a heavily lacquered job with no noticeable seam, the like of which we may never see again.
We hope.
But many thanks to Camel for a great game and see you again on September 9.
PS: This game was played on Sunday, August 12, Sorry for late posting.
ENDS

Cincers take revenge on Actors as sun finally shines...but who ate all the coffee cake?

Test Match Tim hit form today to steer Cincers home against the formidable Actors bowling attack.
He and new recruit Gaurav - son of Dee -  put on an undefeated stand of 80 to take us past the oppo's total of 124.
Ten of the allotted 35 overs were unused  as Cincers seemingly coasted to victory.
But the result  - revenge on our heavy defeat at the hands of Actors last month -  was no walk in the park.
Firstly, the Skip did what he always does at the start of a game....lost the toss.
It was relief when Actors did what we wanted them to do - opted to bat first.
As ever,  several Cincers were late.
Majid, Farhan and Kamran arrived 45 minutes after the scheduled start, apparently thanks to an emergency stop at Carphone Warehouse on the way over.
By the time they finally rolled up, we were well under the cosh.
Alex W - thrown the new ball by the Skip in a cunning ploy to stop him moaning about not getting a bowl - was wild.
Or should that be 'wide'?
The big man was spraying it all over the show, leaving keeper Dee not sure which wicket we were supposed to be playing on.
The champagne moment came when he fired one down between first and second slip, and then berated them for 'just standing there' and not stopping the resulting four wides.
He was immediately dubbed 'Mr Angry' by the highly-amused opposition watching from under the trees.
Fortunately, Gaurav, opening at the other end, was a model of accuracy and good lines.
The batsmen played and missed, depriving the new recruit of a wicket.
Gaurav went, though, for just seven runs off four overs.
Eventually, Mr Angry at the other end hit the jackpot - a fast, straight ball that castled oppo opener J. Flood all ends up.
The Shock of The New, they call in the art world.
A ball on the stumps, we called it.
Mr Flood departed in a state of dazed surprise.
Sadly, the wides virus also affected Richard de Q's normally niggardly line.
Our generosity meant Actors were rattling along at over five an over after the first 10.
Richard hit back with a stunning caught and bowled which put paid to Actors' other free-scoring opener.
Charlie Barker came on at the tennis-court end Alex had operated from but he immediately hit a good length and line.
He was clobbered in his second over for two boundaries but  responded by clean-bowling Actors' number three.
A key moment came in the final over of his spell of seven.
First ball,  Actors' talented Kiwi batsman Simon put Charlie over the ropes for a superb six.
Three balls later, though, he was gone - bowled by a top-hole delivery which pitched leg and hit off.
Unplayable.
Presumably the Skip was inspired by his example.
Having first checked with Air Traffic Control, the purveyor of twirly leggies brought himself on at the allotments end and for once found a decent length straight up.
His first two overs went for a relatively scrooge-like nine.
With the first ball of his next,  the Captain made a breakthrough.
He bowled Actors number six who went back when he should have come forward.
The Skip's seven-over spell accounted for three more oppo batsmen  - two of them caught at mid-wicket by Alex W.
Majid, who arrived in a bright turquoise top that needed planning permission, was clearly upset he wasn't getting a share of the limelight.
So when he was finally thrown the ball, he took three in four balls in a triple-wicket maiden.
One of them was a spectacular caught-behind by Dee who threw himself across first slip (Test Match) to snaffle the chance.
It was left to the Skip to end the innings, taking the 11th wicket (12 aside-game so many people turned up) when Westie held one of his catches at mid-wicket.
Wayward as his bowling can be, Alex is establishing himself as one of Cincers' safest pair of hands in the field.
Pity he had blotted his copybook by escorting a clip through midwicket off Richard de Q over the boundary for four.
Actors finished on 124 - 16 of them wides out of 22 extras overall.
Tut, tut.
The 125 target off 35 was not, in theory, a mountain to claim, especially as at long last the sun was beating down on the venue at Ham near Richmond.
Cincers' batting this season, though, has been anything but summit-scaling.
Add to that Actors' bowling which is traditionally one of their strengths.
So it proved anything but easy.
Test Match opened with Biraj from BK who stepped in at short notice this morning when Tim M was ruled out by a domestic gas leak (all safely sorted, by the way).
 Actors' opening bowlers Jamie and J. Flood were on the money, pitching the ball up and getting lift, bounce and not a little swing.
Test Match and Biraj, though, picked off the few bad balls and the scoring rate was not a problem.
With the score on 21, Biraj perished - smacking the ball hard to shortish extra-cover where Jamie took a smart catch.
Enter Farhan at number three.
He was quickly into his stride, notching a couple of boundaries and looking in his pomp.
Actors were clearly scarred by Farhan's last appearance against them - a quick-fire 50-odd when he was batting at number 10 (hmmm...was that because he was late then as well...?)
Anyhow, Actors clearly remembered, muttering about how important it was to get rid of him as quickly as possible.
A snorter of a delivery from Actors' J. Flood  almost did the trick.
It pitched on off and reared away to first slip.
The very next ball did work the magic.
Pitched full and swinging late to leg,  it caught Farhan on his back foot, sparking a frenzied LBW.
It was given.
Cincers were on 45 with plenty of time and overs to go.
But a wobble was more than possible.
Actors, used to seeing Cincers collapse, sensed this could be their moment.
The sledging certainly increased as Gaurav joined Test Match in the middle.
Nervous edges came and went, as did appeals for LB.
There was one definite chance off Gaurav's bat that went down at first slip - to the fury of bowler Simon.
But all the time Test Match - not thus far this year in vintage form - was getting into his stride.
One sumptious extra-cover drive was just about the shot of the day.
Gaurav too was gaining in confidence, driving crisply and scoring freely.
In the end, the duo took us safely over the line.
Tim finished on 44 not out, Gaurav on 33 undefeated.
Thanks to Actors for a great game and for bringing the stumps, boundary markers and scoreboard.
Thanks to Dee for bringing the tea.
Thanks most of all to Mrs Hayles for the coffee cake!
Sadly, there was not enough to go round.
But sources very close to the Skipper say it was moist, creamy and quite, quite delicious.

Third defeat on the trot for Cincinnati as only straight-bat Frank leaves Whitstable unbeaten

This was a game that, given the weather, should never have happened.
By close of play, Cincers wish it hadn't.
Despite a deluge the day before and all the forecasts, the annual fixture against Whitstable Labour Club went ahead last Sunday.
We even turned up on time (well, mostly) at the pitch in Radfall.
Sadly,  the Skip's usual bad luck with the toss also turned up.
We had to bat first on a damp pitch and under overcast skies (just like last year).
Progress was, er, slow.
Test Match was bowled early, the Skip went first ball and when Dee was LB shortly afterwards, Cincers were 20-odd for 3 with nearly an hour gone.
Forgot to say, we play time-game rules in Whitstable.
Thankfully, due to the foul weather nearly everywhere else, Finchley's game was cancelled so Frank was in our ranks.
Together he and Moyners put together a key partnership.
Frankie particularly enjoyed his knock, pulling oppo skip Richard for a six into the brambles at midwicket and forcing us to search for the ball.
Abid's rarely moved so quickly after he found there were stinging nettles in among the brambles.
After we found the ball, Moyners, AKA Mixed Grill*, went for 15 (he walked amid chaotic appeals for a stumping after sportingly admitting he'd nicked it to the keeper).
Enter Roger Shorrock, one of our our resident Whitstable players, looking calm, resolute and determined to make his one game of the season a memorable one.
So it was for the oppo bowler.
Lancastrian Roger was skittled for the big 'O' (very fashionable total for natives of the Red Rose county as the Skip could testify).
Amid the drama, Frank pressed on, stealing the singles here and there, punishing the bad ball and passing his 50 (his first for Cincers?).
He was joined by Alex W who smote a mighty straight six before he was caught for 13.
Kamran was stumped for six but our Aussie coach ended unbeaten on a superb 73.
A total of 144 for 7 off 39 was not a bad effort in the gloom.
But with the sun coming out, it didn't appear not quite so hot.
Cincers bowled well to keep Whitstable in check, with Abid especially miserly at one end.
At the other, first Majid then Kamran went close but it was Dee who struck first.
Our keeper spotted the Whitstable opener was dawdling out of his crease and smartly threw down the stumps.
17 for one became 29 for 2 when oppo Richard, one of their best batsman,  chipped the ball to an alert  Alex W at extra cover off Abid
With Kamran bowling stubborn Whitstable opener Keith, we had them at 45 for 3.
Another wicket went when Frank, coming on to replace Abid, bowled their keeper Peter.
Our hopes rose.
But Whitstable's master-blaster J. Wicks (who also served up a very fine tea) held his cool.
Instead of his usual fireworks over cow corner, he began accumulating instead.
In partnership with their number six, he steered bit by bit towards the target.
Richard H's late introduction didn't fox him.
A late drama did ensue when Alex W, finally given an over by the Skip, sprayed a few about before trapping Mr Wicks plumb LB.
Four overs to do, 20 to win, five wickets...could there be one of those famous late Cincers v Whitstable late twists?
There could.
The Skip took Westie off (to bring Frank on), thereby provoking a furious response from the deposed paceman who looked caught between launching a High Court legal challenge and thumping the Skip.
Fortunately, he did neither (at the time of writing, that is).
But sadly for us,  the game was up.  Whitstable got the runs just before the scheduled close.
In other words, our third defeat on the run.
But many thanks to all at the Labour Club for another fine game, a splendid tea and the usual great hospitality.
* ROCKIE'S REVIEW (As told to the Skip): I'm often asked: 'Why is Tim M called Mixed Grill?'
Funnily enough, most people think it dates from his choice of dish on tour in Tenby a few years ago in an Indian restaurant.
While the rest of the team tucked into traditional, tonsil-removing hot curries (apart from the Skip who faints at the mere sight of chillies), Tim ordered the only English dish on the menu.....mixed grill.
Or so everyone remembers.
In fact, it was far more exotic. Little bits of fish in breadcrumbs with chunky chips, actually.
So technically,  when you call to Moyners in the field, you should all shout: 'Oi! Scampi!'

Hammering at Haydons Road as Cincinnati are humbled by sharp-swinging SLICC

And it all started so well.
After bungling out opponents SLICCfor just 130 nine overs short of the allotted 40, what could go wrong?
A superb spell of sharp inswing bowling, that's what.
Skittled, we were.
Blown away.
This is one batting card we won't want to see again..ever.
The top five read: 0, 0, 0, 0 and....0.
Number six, Majid, was the first man to trouble the scorers.
Only two Cincers got into double figures, with Chris P top-scoring on 13.
We had no answer to an inspired spell of fast-medium inswing from SLICC's Danny.
The Skip led the way, opening the batting with Test Match Tim (because no-one else would) and leaving one outside off.
Except it swept in to re-arrange his stumps.
At least the  next three batsmen - Farhan, Richard de Q and Alex W (his first appearance of the season) - played a shot.
Fat lot of good it did them, though. They were all bowled.
At the other end, facing SLICC's skipper Will, Test Match Tim was our big hope.
He looked ready to dig in, grind it out, edge towards victory......until he left a widish ball outside his off stump (all the best players do).
It pitched and seamed sharply back in. Clatter. Another 0.
Dee arrived at the crease looking determined to see off the savage inswingers at the other end.
So determined, he got everything he could in front of off stump.
And then looked back in utter amazement to see his wicket shattered by another pearler of a Danny delivery.
At one stage, Cincers were 2 for six.
Getting cocky (and why not?) our opponents dared to think the wickets column would outmatch the runs tally.
They reckoned without a minor rally from Chris Payne and debut player Chris Hope who plundered two late boundaries before nicking off.
A sad, sad total of 45 off 14.5 overs was our return for the day.
Before,  Cincers had done well (so we thought)  to keep SLICC down to just 130 on a breezy, showery day at Haydons Road, South Wimbledon.
Test Match led the way with a cracking spell off 4 for 3 off 6!
But Richard H also shone with  3 for 13 off 4 (one of them a rare 'hit wicket'..by the batsman, that is).
New boy Chris Hope opened his wicket account, courtesy of a nick from the batsman, an assist from keeper Dee and finally a diving catch from Test Match at first slip.
But Dee needed no help when he took a quite stunning one-handed catch off Chris P's bowling to get the opening wicket.
Later, the loss of the ball - thanks to a top-edged six by SLICC skipper Will off Kamran - sparked a nice row.
It disappeared into a locked-up tennis court and the proposed replacement - an odd-looking Kookaburra - sparked protests from Will.
'I wouldn't worry about it  - you'll be out soon,' said Alex sportingly.
He was right.
Will was bowled by Kamran and a promising start of 73 for 1 collapsed into 130 all out, with several of the oppo's lower-order batsmen being very obliging.
Pity SLICC's bowling didn't follow suit.
They did seem to be using a rather posh ball.
But no sour grapes, boys.
And many congrats to Danny for his 6 for 12 off 6, five of them bowled.
ROCKIE'S REVIEW (As told to the Skipper): If there's one thing worse than turning up late for a game, it's arriving on time.
If only Cincers had shown some sense here and rolled up late.
Better still, don't turn up at all when the bowling's this good.
It's bad manners, I know.
But not showing up for a match is sometimes the only way.
I should know. I've only turned up for one game so far this season.
And it's done wonders for my batting average.

Time gentlemen, please! Late late show costs Cincers dear in tense encounter with Actors

A heroic ninth wicket stand of 89- probably a club record, who knows! -  from Farhan and Richard H rescued Cincinnati from humiliation at Ham.
But it wasn't enough to save us from defeat....after nearly half the side rolled up hours late.
The no-show obliged the Skip to bat first on a wet, sticky wicket that was soon being used to maximum effect by Actors' seamers.
The ball darting around, we were soon hanging on for dear life at 18 for 4.
And still no sign of four batsmen.
There wasn't much sign of Tim M either - even though he arrived on time.
The changing rooms weren't yet open and 'Shelving' refused to change behind a tree, despite the Skip generously finding a trunk that was wide enough.
Even when he did arrive at the crease (at number six), he didn't last much longer than the rest of us.
At 38 for 8, the game surely was up.
But by then, reinforcements had arrived - Farhan included.
He joined Richard H, who was having a nosebleed batting at 9, and together they put on a heroic stand.
Well, Richard did the standing and Farhan did the heroic hitting.
Three sixes and six fours came off his blade before he holed out for an invaluable 56.
No other batsman made double figures.
Richard went a few balls Farhan before taking an age to score 9 but showed the rest of us how to hang on and put a partnership together.
A total of 117 off 33.1 was hardly a mountain for Actors to climb, especially as conditions were better for batting at the start of their innings.
But with Majid giving nothing away at one end, Chris P picked up two wickets - one courtesy of a blinder of a catch behind square by Richard de Q.
And with Actors seemingly recovering at 59 for 2,  Richard H winkled out a batsman, with Dee taking the stumping.
It quickly became 59 for 4 when new recruit offspinner Starbucks (not his real name though I don't know what that is) took a wicket.
Round about now came the big controversy of the match - a 'stumping' not given off Richard H.
The batsman - Mr Hurst - went on to be Actors' top score of 39 n/o but my, that was you call a close decision.
Kamran, another new recruit this season,  put in a superb spell of 2 for 2 off 6 overs and another new boy, Abdullah, also picked up a wicket.
But six wickets down was as much as we could get Actors before they passed our total with two overs to spare. Or was that two hours?
ROCKIE'S REVIEW (as told to the Captain):  Tick, tock, tick, tock went the old grandfather clock in Rock Hall.
It taught me one very valuable lesson, that clock  (well, apart from that fact that clocks make a noise).
In life and in cricket,  timing is everything.
Taking to the crease is just like catching a plane.
You wouldn't turn two hours at Heathrow for a flight, would you?
No, you wouldn't.
Turn up late and you've had it. It's gone.
At least with a plane, you can catch a later one (depending on your ticket).
But with batting, well, blink and you've missed it.
And I should know.

Tempers fray as Cincinnati snatches victory from the old enemy BK in tense final over thriller

Three to win with three balls left...
As ever, Cincers v BK went down-to-the-wire contest last Sunday.
Tim 'Mixed Grill' Moynihan was the star man for Cincers with a superb 64 not out.
But the winning blow - off a shoulder-high full toss - came from the bat of Dee.
Funny, that, because he'd was 'out' LBW an hour or so before..
The day - a fractious one by Cincers-BK standards - began with the oppo rolling up with only seven men.
In yet another blunder, the Skip gave them two of our 11 - Zain and Kamran.
They were supposed to be making their Cincers' debut.
In the end, they damn well nearly won it for BK.
The toss? Well, why do we bother with that? The Captain lost it yet again.
Opening up at our new home venue of Footscray Rugby Club, BK's start was painfully slow.
They barely crawled along at two an over.
Superb opening spells from Majid and Chris P  pegged the batsman right back on a slow, low wicket.
It took some lusty blows from BK number three Hassan to break the shackles a little.
After a tricky spell v Saints in the last game, it was business as usual for Richard H with a good, tight spell.
Farhan also chipped in with seven mean overs.
Even the Skip started frugally, getting rid of Hassan thanks to a superb stumping by Dee.
By this stage, though, BK were upping the ante with 'traitors' Zain and especially Kamran opening their shoulders.
Kamran hit the Skip for a superb long-on six which cleared the rope by yards.
Along the way there were turned-down appeals for LB and at one stage, a full-scale, on-the-pitch technical conference about the 'hitting inline' rules.
A target of 146 off 35 was a mite more than Cincers had wanted - especially as Tim M was just about our only recognised top batsman on show. (Where's bat-fixing Selfish when we needed him?!)
The outfield was also desperately slow, with the recent rains preventing normal lawnmower operations.
The Skip - batting in a helmet two sizes two big because he'd left his at home - opened up with Dee.
The aim: see off BK's openers and pave the way to victory by supporting Mixed Grill.
Disaster struck, though.
Dee was given out LB early on - despite evidence that he had hit the leather off it.
A sporting gesture from BK skip Pete meant he was reprieved to come in at the end of Cincers' innings.
Of which, more later.
The Skip, playing one of his worst-ever innings, survived long enough to see Tim M arrive at the crease, almost ran himself out and was then bowled.
We struggled with the run rate, just about keeping pace with the four-an-over asking rate.
But only BK leaking extra after extra kept us in the hunt.
The strategy of seeing off BK's openers hit a big hitch.
Zain and Kamran, the two players loaned to the oppo, turned out to be pretty lively seamers.
Only Tim had their measure.
David H and then Majid kept Tim company but wickets kept falling.
Shortly after being urged by the Skip to 'play straight, straight', Majid did just that. He cross-batted it straight up in the air.
Panic stations for BK as four players converged on the catch...which plopped beautifully between them just behind the bowler's end.
Tim had raced (I use the term advisedly) to the striker's end to take advantage of the mayhem.
Sadly, Majid hadn't moved.
He was run out.
Rockie should have been the next man in but gave up his place to Chris P. Big mistake by the ex-Chairman (see below).
Bit by bit, Cincers somehow edged nearer.
Screams for LB went unanswered.
Time and again, BK shot themselves in the foot with a flurry of wides.
Chris P sneaked a couple here and a couple there, while Tim plundered the odd bad bowl.
With about 15 needed and three overs left, Chris P was bowled.
Rockie was next in, followed by Richard H.
At least, that's what the card said.
But the Skip (umpiring) had already told Dee to pad up ready for his return.
He controversially called him back out straight away.
BK politely asked about whether that was quite in order, etc, etc.
Edgily, the Skip muttered darkly about how we'd given the oppo two crack players.
Dee rapidly showed why he'd been recalled.
Opening his arms, he walloped a four to widish mid-off, one bounce over the boundary.
The pressure was still on.
But with the final over and five needed, BK's own Farhan nervously served up two no-balls.
Then a dot ball.
So three needed off three.
And then in a second, it was all over.
A full toss was tennis-smashed behind square by Dee for four. Should have been another no-ball but no-one was counting.
Tim ended up with a superb not out.
Extras was second top scorer - 44 out of 149.
Dee was 14 not out or 19 for one if you count his first effort.
Funny old game.
ROCKIE'S REVIEW:  There's a pouch in my kit bag. Never quite worked out what it's for.
May be it's to stuff a newspaper in. Or a freshly-baked baguette.
At Christmas time, it'd be ideal for a roll of festive wrapping paper.
Or a giant Havana cigar.
But one thing it's not for - a cricket bat.
Because there's no point my bringing one to a Cincers game. Grrrrrrrrrr!
(As shouted to the Skip).

Cincers' hit by 'bat-fixing' scandal after Selfish stages one-made show to sink the Saints

Cincinnati was last night plunged into a damaging internal row over claims that our star batsman had deliberately 'not got out'.
Simon 'Selfish' B was accused of a calculating 'bat-fixing'  bid to prevent other team members from having a bat during the victory over London Saints.
Sources claimed the opening bat sent a text after the game boasting of how he had deliberately prevented colleagues from taking the crease by scoring an undefeated century.
One source said: 'Selfish was crowing about how the sight of other Cincers' queuing up for a go  with their freshly-oiled bats had egged him on to not get out. Typical.'
The row threatened to overshadow a superb Cincers' triumph over Saints at their home ground of Elstree on one of  this summer's three scheduled non-raining Sundays.
After the Skip lost the toss (as usual), the game began with Robert de Q showing off at square leg by running out (controversially, according to Saints) one of their openers and then taking a lobbed catch off Abid.
Other highlights of Saints' innings included Abid and the Chairman (T. Ross Esq) snaffling three wickets a piece.
The Spinners Union (R. Hadlow and the Skip) had a mixed day. Richard got a bit of a biffing.
The Skipper went for (one) less than five an over and took a wicket. He was later seen buying a lottery ticket.
And so to our controversy-hit reply. Set 167 to win off 35, the Chairman and the aforementioned Selfish began slowly. Very slowly.
At one point, we were going at under two an over.
The Chairman in particular was struggling to find his usual form,
The impending arrival of new baby (Bill as he is now known) was doubtless on his mind.
But at the other end, Simon was getting into his stride.
The first wicket went down at 78 when Tim was bowled.
But only one more fell before Cincers overhauled the opposition's total with nine balls of the 35 overs to spare.
Simon finished on 117 not out.
Stat-watch:  Selfish has now played three times against Saints, never been out and has scored a 100 each time.
Saints' frustration was clear for all to see.
Sadly, so was the frustration of eager-beaver Cincers' batters (Dee and the Skip included) all padded up and nowhere to go after Simon's crease-hogging performance.
Selfish was last unavailable to comment - largely  because the blog didn't ring him beforehand!
* NEW FEATURE - ROCKIE'S REVIEW (EACH WEEK, THE FORMER CHAIRMAN WILL OFFER HIS CONSIDERED VIEWS ON THE DAY)
Hmm. As the person who coined the 'Selfish Simon' tag, I'm not surprised at these bat-fixing rumours.
Some people don't seem to understand that cricket's about partnerships, sharing, letting other people 'have a go'.
The batting crease is not one person's private property. It belongs to us all. It's our birthright.
It's as English as Magna Carta though I can't say I've ever met the lady.
If this goes on, there'll be no point anyone else bringing their bat along to games.
You might as well bring a stick of rhubarb. With some sugar and custard. Yum yum. Lovely!
(As told to the Skip).

Cold hands beat warm hearts as under-strength Cincers lose out on season's chilly opener

We few. We happy few - all four of us.
Cincers started the 2012 season with nearly every team regular showing a united front...by not being available.
Just four Cincers' established players took the field against West XI - and one of those had only played one game for us before.
The match, at Winchmore Hill in north London, only went ahead for two reasons.
First, the opposition organiser Steve Rennie kindly offered us players to make up a team.
And second, Abid rustled up two late new players - Majid and Farhan.
The resulting nine-a-side contest took place in bitterly cold conditions with a wind which had taken a direct flight from Siberia.
To make it more fun, our hosts decided on a two-innings contest of 18 overs each and with the batting orders reversed in the second innings.
The Skip started the season in traditional form. He lost the toss.
West XI batted first and posted a challenging 108 for 3 with Cincers bowlers struggling to find their length.
Opposition bowlers Steve Rennie and Mike Herlihy - turning their arm their for us - picked up a wicket a piece as did the Skip.
In reply, we struggled to 88 for 6.
Only Dee prospered. Thanks to the wicket being right on the edge of the square, he could almost touch the legside boundary on one side and he didn't miss out.
But on 23, there was a mix-up and Dee was run out.
After that, only new recruit Majid reached double figures.
Second time round, opposition legspinner S. Bignell - loaned to us by West XI - showed the Skip how to bowl leggies.
He conceded just 12 off four overs for one wicket.
By contrast, the Captain's one over this time round went for 15 including a valiant attempted catch by Behzad that sadly ended up over the rope for six off that dratted short boundary.
Needing 130 over 18 was always going to be a challenge.
But the Skip, opening with Majid, did his best for the run-rate. He got bowled early on for 3.
Progress thereafter was a bit like the outside temperature - glacial.
That is, it was until S. Bignell opened his shoulders.
Mr Bignell, it is fair to say, is not in the first flush of youth.
But with some cracking straight drives, including a six to the other side of the sight screen, he ended up with a superb 53 not out.
Other contributions came from Mike Herlihy with 18 and Farhad with 16.
Unfortunately, 101 for 6 was not enough.
Cincers finished 28 runs adrift.
But many thanks to Steve Rennie of West XI - and Abid - for ensuring the game even went ahead in the first place.
And as for all those Cincers who didn't turn out, well, hang your heads in shame!
* Game played on May 20 - sorry for late posting of match report.

Christmas drinks

Thurs 22 Dec in a pub nr Waterloo. More details to follow.

Glory in the gloom as record-breaking season ends with a final first - victory at Finchley

It was night-time - almost - when it happened.
A well-pitched up delivery from Frank, a desperate lunge by the batsman in the gathering gloom and down went the stumps.
And up went the cheers.
For this was no ordinary end-of-season wicket.
This was a veritable M & S of a wicket, a little bit of history, a first-ever moment, our maiden win over the mighty Finchley.
After 10 years (virtually) of trying and never really coming close, we'd finally, finally, done it.
In the delirium, the Skip was carried off the pitch into the pavilion where he bumped his head (another first).
Drinks were bought, backs were slapped and hands were shaken.
But my, what a close run thing.
Barely had the cheering stopped but the rains came pelting down.
If we'd been on the ground five more minutes, it would have been 'match abandoned'.
And as ever with a Cincers match, there was nothing plain-sailing about it.
Six hours earlier, the Skip had won the toss and decided to bat, only to realise that nearly half the side still hadn't arrived.
So we had to bat instead.
A scratch order began with Test Match and the Skip making steady if, er, slow progress until the Captain was bowled by Nish, Finchley's left-arm seamer.
Out came Dee and the pair edged forward (literally occasionally).
All the while, there were glances back towards the pavilion to see if Abid, who was ferrying Ali, Shebash and Mohammad, had turned up.
They hadn't.
Thankfully, Tim was getting into his stride while Dee suddenly starting clubbing the Finchley bowling to mid-wicket on a regular basis.
When he fell, for a valuable 20, it brought Tim M to the crease.
It should have been the key partnership of the match for Cincers with our two best men at the crease.
Sadly, Test Match, having looked set, played over a slower ball and was bowled for 42.
Thankfully, Abid had finally arrived at the ground with batters Ali and Shebash.
Pinch-hitter Ali soon got motoring but was clearly flummoxed by Finchley posting two men at longish mid-off and on for his lofted drives.
He was promptly bowled, for 11, trying an outrageous flick off his pads to backward square.
Shebash, so often this season our opener, looked out of sorts at six.
He was run out by a brilliant direct hit for seven but tragically, would have been safe if only he'd put his bat down.
With not much over 120 up and about 10 overs to go, Cincers were in danger of under-achieving.
At the crease was Abid and new-comer Chris who had yet to show his mettle with the bat.
He soon put that right.
Some mighty bottom-hand pulls had Finchley fielders scurrying to long-on and mid-wicket to save fours.
Chris soon had 20 and looked good for more until a disastrous bit of running left him stranded.
Non-striker Abid charged down the wicket, yelling 'one there' but with the ball heading towards extra-cover's hands, Chris stood his ground until it was too late.
Probably unaware that he could have stayed put and left Abid stranded, he finally trudged off but not without an accusatory glare back at his batting partner.
Enter Frank who rapidly set out to sort out the innings and Abid's fitness levels at the same time.
One all-run four had Abid leaning over his bat gasping for breath, with the Skip now umpiring wondering whether he'd have to shout 'oxygen' or 'stretcher bearers'.
In between the gulps of breath, though, we were getting somewhere - 176 for 7 off 35 was at least a defendable score.
It immediately got better.
With the very first ball of our reply, Mohammad bowled Finchley skip Dylan with a quick ball pitched right up.
Soon after, the other opener, Graham, hit Abid to Moyners at cover where he held a fine catch.
Now the contest really began.
Stevie B, Finchley's star performer of the day (he bowled sharply earlier on), was in.
Together with partner Dan, he began to punish the stray deliveries.
The shakey start (Finchley only had about 20 on the board when the second wicket fell) began to recede.
The run-rate of five an over was proving no problem.
It was Test Match who broke the deadlock, skittling Dan for 20.
Soon after, Richard H, with his flighted offies, was wreaking havoc - not without some assistance from Finchley's middle-order.
Richard rapidly had three wickets in the bag - another profitable afternoon for his tweakers.
The odd catch went down, though, and still there was Stevie B, powering past his 50 and looking ominous.
The Skip and Frank started squabbling over field places.
The tension slowly mounted.
But it was Frank who turned the game back in Cincers' favour.
Often his team-mate at Finchley, the Aussie swing-bowler decided Stevie would try to glide him down to third man.
And so he did.
But he succeeded only in guiding the ball into the gloves of keeper Dee who held a smart catch.
The door was open. The run-rate was climbing.
Chris took a fine catch at mid-wicket.
Finchley were teetering on the edge.
The only danger was the weather.
We'd already had one interruption and it was starting to look like rain again.
The light was going.
It got so gloomy that the Skip had to take quickie Mohammad, back on for his second spell, out of the attack.
With just under five overs to go, Finchley needed 30 to win with one wicket standing when Frank wound himself up for one more effort.
It was a miracle he could see the stumps to aim at them it was that dark.
An edge would have gone unseen to the boundary for four.
But he didn't find the edge of the bat.
He found the middle of off stump and the celebrations began!
A fantastic end to an fantastic season.
Victories for the first time ever over Finchley and OWs, together with a clean sweep on the French tour left us with a winning season by a margin of four games - our best-ever performance.
Many, many thanks to all who turned out under Cincers' colours during the 2011 season.
And see you at the winter nets!

Cincers shatter tour records in stunning victory to close French tour on a high

They told us we didn't have a chance.
After our opening tour victory against Riviera, we were warned.
'Entrecasteaux are strong. They're a very good team. You'll struggle,' warned one Rivieran.
And so it seemed for much of a rain-affected afternoon.
But Entrecasteaux reckoned without two things - an extraordinary late-order innings by Selfish and a superb all-round team effort in the field by Cincers.
The result? An extraordinary victory by three runs with over eight overs to spare.
Under the shadow of the 17th-century chateau of Entrecasteaux, the Skip won the toss and stuck us in.
'Hmm. Is that the right thing to do?' muttered a few Cincers...a versatile reaction oft used when we bowl first.
After Saturday's triumph, the Skip decided to reverse (sort of) the order.
He opened with a very willing JP who, despite carrying a serious injury, was playing his second game in two days.
Despite that, Cincers got off to a quick start - courtesy of some pretty wild Entrecasteaux bowling.
At one point, JP and the Skip entertained the idea of touching gloves mid-wicket even though neither of them had actually touched the ball by then.
Sadly, the pace soon slackened.
JP walked after gloving one behind.
Peter A, gamely coming in at three despite not lifting a bat in anger for years, defended well, got a quick single but then popped up a catch just in front of the wicket.
A total of 27 for 2 off 10 (35 over game) was not healthy.
Mind, the weather was turning threatening so it looked like any total was going to be academic.
Frank strode to the wicket and told the Skip to get on with it..which he did, hitting a boundary to mid-wicket but getting out next ball.
Mark B, Selfish's older brother, arrived at the crease.
(On the way home from Riviera the day before, the Skip asked the Bevan Brothers' dad just who was the better bat. The answer must remain a secret..until the AGM).
Tragically, Frank miscued a drive to give a sharp caught-and-bowled chance while Richard de Q also went early.
It got worse. Stephen H, one of the batting heroes of Saturday, aimed an ambitious drive down the wrong line and had his timbers shivered.
Then came the rains. Heavy ones.
The Skip and his opposite number sighed and accepted that was that.
They even shook hands on it.
But just as on Saturday, the clouds parted and the sun came out.
Pity Cincers' batting fortunes didn't likewise improve.
Shortly after the restart, Jack went cheaply.
So too did Test Match even though Richard de Q had driven back to his villa and got his bat for him.
Cincers were tottering at roughly 80 for eight.
But enter Selfish, batting down the order at 10 (his lowest-ever batting position for Cincers).
What followed won him the Man of the Match award, a thrillingly destructive piece of batting which stunned Entrecasteaux and cheered Cincers.
Ball after ball was despatched to the boundary, including a huge six to square leg.
At the other end, Mark was also firing.
Cincers team members stopped admitting defeat and watched the fireworks sparked by the two brothers.
Was this a case of long-dormant sibling rivalry reborn?
Who cares!
The action continued even after Mark was bowled for 39 and Simon was joined by Stephen W in a cameo '0 not out'.
Cincers closed on 142 for 9 off 35. Not a huge total but at least something to bowl at.
The fightback began almost immediately.
Richard de Q produced a late in-swinger to skittle the opposing skipper while he also snaffled the other opener thanks to a sharp catch at mid-off by Frank.
At 14 for two, Entrecasteaux were no longer firm favourites.
But a stand of 76 for the third wicket changed all that.
Cincers' heads began to droop.
Until...Stephen H, fielding at deep square leg, pulled off a quite superb catch round his ankles to give Test Match a vital wicket.
The door was open.
A sharp stumping by Jack (who kept superbly throughout the day) and a brilliant outfield catch by Richard de Q suddenly had Entrecasteaux on 103 for 5.
They still had plenty of overs, with roughly 14 to go and only 40 needed.
But Cincers' tails were up.
Frank came on to seal up one end and add to the pressure.
Wickets still came but at 134 for seven with 10 overs to go and just seven needed, it still looked all lost.
Cincers, though, fielded like lions, egged on by Frank in his finest Aussie Serjeant-Major mode which involved bellowing at less agile fielders and pretty much usurping the Skip's executive powers.
But the pressure told.
All of a sudden, Entrecasteaux were 136 for 9 - seven short of victory.
To the crease strode brave 10-year-old Tom, son of one of their openers.
Despite the circumstances, the lad got some emergency coaching from Frank on how to hold a bat as Simon prepared to bowl.
It went down the legside.
'I can't bowl that slowly,' sighed Selfish in frustration.
Next ball, the batsmen, Tom and Entrecasteaux president Lennie, sneaked a single.
With Frank coming in from the other end, it was 139 for nine with just four needed for victory.
Lennie turned down a single to square leg.
But then he went for one.
JP, sore hip or not, seized the ball behind point and whipped it in to Jack.
The bails came off, the deafening appeals went up and up went the umpire's finger at square leg.
Cincers had sneaked a thrilling victory by just three runs with 8.3 overs to spare - a brilliant end to our finest tour yet.
Never before have we won both games on our travels, putting aside the fact that both Provencal teams were tough sides.
Many thanks to all who took part in the 2011 tour, with especial thanks to Mr Bevan Snr for umpiring both games and to first-time tourers Richard de Q and Peter A.

The 2012 Tour Committee (Mr Prenesti and Mr Hall presiding) is now in session.
** Many thanks to all at Entrecasteaux for fine sportsmanship and hospitality, including a very fine cricket lunch.

Zut alors! Cincers run riot in Provence as Selfish and Test Match drive the clouds away

We started under leaden skies and umbrellas.
We finished with blue skies, sun and a scorching victory on day one of the Provencal tour.
Test Match Tim and Selfish Simon, with Stephen H in support, ran Riviera CC ragged as Cincers overhauled the home side's impressive 189 off 30 overs with six balls to spare.
But it could all have been so different.
For a start, the Skipper's satnav, not at its best all tour, went haywire as the Cincers convoy headed east from our base camp of Entrecasteaux.
Result? We arrived in dribs and drabs an hour late at Riviera's beautiful ground at St Vallier-de-Thiey just north of Grasse.
Bizarrely, the weather saved the fixture.
At midday, it was dark skies and torrential rain - the first in Provence for weeks.
'If you'd arrived on time, we might have called the whole thing off,' said the opposition skip.
But just after we elected to take an early lunch, the clouds parted and the game was on.
We lost the toss....of course and Riviera decided to bat.
Immediately, the Skipper's authority was undermined (not for the first time during the weekend...)
Asked to open the bowling, Frank 'politely' declined and deferred to Stephen H.
The poker-playing seamer swiftly made his mark.
He sent one of Riviera's openers off to hospital with a sharp delivery that struck the batsman's glove and looked innocuous but wasn't.
The poor man broke his thumb.
By that stage, Richard de Q had also made his mark - bowling the other Riviera opener for a duck.
The next guy in, Dogra, strolled out and smashed his first ball for four to mid off.
Riviera's half-century rapidly came up before Test Match cleaned up Dogra by bowling him all ends up.
Wickets came here and there, with Tim bowling well in what turned out to be a three-wicket spell.
The 'Trundler', aka Stephen W, also chipped in with a two-wicket spell.
His second ball was a classic. Short, easy and smashed straight to mid-off where Stephen H took the catch in between yawns.
Riviera were stalling at 115 for 7.
In the field, JP, despite his painful hip, threw himself around like a backward-point reborn and saved us vital runs with his dives.
So what did the Skip do? He brought himself on with his looping leggies.
That injected fresh life into Riviera's innings.
Their skipper in particular tucked in.
Even Selfish for once failed to live up to his miserly reputation.
As a bowler, that is. He got carted for a six as had the Skip.
Peter A, making his debut, bowled a superb first ball.
Pity it was just a practice one!
But manfully, he got through his first over for, er, a few years.
Eventually, a sharp run out (forgotten by whom - please advise)ended the Riviera skip's fine knock.
But 189 off 30 overs (reduced from 35 because of the weather) was a tough ask.
Or was it?
What followed was as fine an opening partnership as Cincers has even put on.
Selfish and Test Match veritably rattled along at around eight an over.
True, there was nothing 'menu fixe' about Riviera's bowling.
Their openers served up wides galore.
But the Cincers' first-choice opening duo were merciless.
Selfish first 10 scoring shots read: 4, 4, 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 1, 4, 4.
Although he began more slowly, Test March was soon into his stride.
In fact, he played as fine an innings as he has for Cincinnati.
One on-drive (saluted by Selfish no less) and one pull-shot for four stood out.
Worth saying, by the way, that despite their looseness, Riviera's bowling was sharp with few (if any) weak links.
That's what made the century partnership, when it came up, so special.
Selfish departed after a rapid 44 with a mishit to mid-off.
He could have gone earlier but his yelp of 'oh god' as soon as he connected put the Riviera mid-on off his stride and the fielder ditched it.
Enter Stephen H.
The languid Lancastrian likes to make light of his talents.
Thankfully, the Skip doesn't.
He insisted on putting him at number three and he didn't disappoint, despite being sledged as a 'bunny' by the opposition.
There was nothing cuddly and big-eared about his towering lofted six over mid-on.
A mix-up meant Stephen was run out for 34, bringing Jack to the wicket.
Appropriately, Test Match's brother stayed the course with Tim to see us over the line with an over to spare.
Tim finished on 64 not out, with Jack on 14 not out.
A fantastic performance all round and a great win.
Thanks to Riviera for their fine hospitality and sportsmanship.
* Our picture shows the victorious Cincinnati side and Mr Bevan Snr who kindly umpired for us.

Walloped Weasels cry 'we want to go home' as Selfish and Test Match seal victory

It had been coming for a while but it was Test Match Tim who sparked a howl of pure anguish from Weasels.
A wild play-and-miss outside off was followed by a rasping boundary to mid-wicket.
As Tim held the pose, it was all too much for Weasels' opening bowler Greg.
'Cricket. What a cruel, cruel game,' he cried in pain.
There was more at the end of his over.
'I want to go home. Skip, please take me off,' the seamer sighed.
It was that sort of day for our Sunday opponents at Greenwich Park.
Fielding just nine men (one fewer than Cincers), Weasels won the toss and put themselves in and were going well until a freak dismissal.
New left-armer Chris Payne, in apparently his first bowling spell ever, slipped and sent down a juicy long-hop outside off.
The eyes of Weasels' batter William lit up and he hammered it square for four....only to see Tim M snaffle the catch at point. Thirty-three for one.
Juat six runs later, skipper Bish smashed one back straight and watched in astonishment as Chris took a stunning caught-and-bowled.
With his burly build and muscular approach to the wicket, the Skip spotted it immediately.
Chris is Tim Bresnan's left-handed cousin. Great debut.
Cincers had opened up with Charlie Barker and Richard de Q.
Tight-bowling from both, especially Charlie, kept Weasels in check before Chris took the first wickets.
At the other end, Test Match's accurate swinging deliveries meant the opposition was going at a snail's pace.
Enter the spin twins - offie Richard H and the Skip's lofted leggies now converted into involuntary googlies.
Plus generous leg-stump full tosses which helped Weasels up the pace and mount a bid for respectability.
However, Richard's offies were working their usual magic with a smart stumping from the keeper ....Tom Lowe. 82 for 3.
('Are you going to mention my razor-sharp reactions and superb glovemanship on the blog, Skip?' Tom asked modestly after the match.)
Oh, all right then.
Two clean-bowleds from Richard H meant Weasels had slumped to 85 for 5.
The offie could have had more, dropping a sharp chance off his bowling.
As did the Skip. He put down a c & b for the second week running.
But he picked up two caught behinds thanks to Tom, the first an authentic edge to a full-pitched ball which baffled the batsman and the bowler by shaping in rather than the intended turn away.
The second was ripped straight from the Cincers Book of Shame, a double-bouncing embarrassment which somehow the batsman managed to edge into Tom's grateful gloves.
The bowler decided on a mumbled apology rather than a full-throated appeal.
The Skip, who has sent down far fewer deliveries this year than last, would have stayed on for his full seven overs was it not for a cautionary word from Selfish.
Seeing the new tailender speak with an Aussie accent and smash his first delivery from the Skip for a straight four, Selfish muttered 'could be a honey monster'.
The Captain shivered. Memories of the muscle-bound Australian youth who smashed him round the West of Ireland a few years ago flashed up.
The Skip made a strategic retreat and Selfish and Tim mopped up the last two wickets, the last one being the so-called new Honey Monster for a less than murderous 13.
Still, you got yourself a bowl, didn't you, Simon?
Weasels finished on 115 all out off 32.3.
By now, the overcast Sunday had transformed itself into a gorgeous late summer's day.
Perfect batting weather even if the Greenwich Park was the usual bounceless pudding.
But what the heck - we were fortified by a delivery of scrumptious home-made brownies by Test Match's better half Amy at tea-time.
What could stop us?
Accordingly, Cincers' openers Selfish and Test Match set off a gallop, with Simon in particular punishing the bad balls.
Weasels' frustations began to show as the pair rattled along at about five an hour with only the occasional scare.
Eventually, Honey Monster Mark II trapped Selfish in front when he was two short of yet another half-century.
Umpiring, the Skip didn't move a muscle for seconds..before triggering him.
He left the stage slowly, his partnership with Test Match sundered one run short of the century.
James arrived and made clear what all his cries of 'get on with it' from the boundary edge were all about.
He scythed his first ball for four to mid-wicket. Another followed soon.
There was still life in the game, though.
Test Match was skittled for 43 by Weasels' skipper Bish who bowled as though he had made a mistake by bringing himself on so late (the curse of many a bowling Skipper....).
Moyners trotted out with the formica shelving (he calls it a bat but we know better).
He quickly trotted back - 0ut for a duck after giving himself room for a trademark cover drive that didn't quite come off.
Now he's talking about coming to winter nets. Yes, you read it here first. Tim M at nets. Better get a photographer.
The scene was set for Tom to show off with barely 10 needed to win.
Portentously, he called James down for a mid-wicket conference which went like this: 'Let's get them in singles.'
Decoded, that meant 'give me the strike and you won't see it again 'cos I'll get them in two shots.'
Sadly for Tom, the Skip, still umpiring, had a quiet word in James's ear.
He duly kept the strike and got the winning runs with a sweep behind square for four.
Game over.
Thanks to Charlie for fielding for Weasels to help them make up the numbers.
And thanks to Weasels for a game played in great spirit with the odd bit of self-sledging by them.
Match tally so far this season: Won 5, lost 4, one tie. Gulp.
Next stop the tour in Provence!

Richard H leads the way as Cincers' end victory famine at Old Wimbledonians

A batting masterclass from Selfish Simon, a battling undefeated 39 from BK's Pete and a late blitzkrieg from Tim Cork took Cincers to a memorable victory Over Old Wimbledonians yesterday.
But the triumph, our first ever over OWs, was all built on a fine spell of off-spin bowling from Richard H and a superb all-round effort in the field.
As is now the custom in Cincers' game, it went down to the wire.
But it began with a fatal wobble by OWs
Having won the toss and chosen to stick us in, their Skip had a sudden change of heart.
He was worried we were too weak and the game would be all over in a trice.
Was he conned by our Skip?
It's possible. Many people have been.
The trickery continued.
To lull OWs into a false sense of total dominance, what better than for the Skip to bring himself on with his 'leggies'!
One classic flighted full-toss on leg was wafted effortlessly for four and OWs were up and running.
The trap set, Selfish's famously miserly media-pacers were deployed to replace the Skip.
At the other, Charlie Barker, now rapidly becoming a Cincers regular, started tightly too.
The first breakthrough: technically, batsman run out off non-striker's buttock.
A sharp deflection, a chaotic run and Selfish off his own bowling threw down the stumps at the keeper's end.
(Keeper, by the way, was Corkie - Pete having arrived a mite to late to don the gloves).
Selfish soon struck again - an LBW.
For the rest of his spell, he was a miser - 1 for 13 off 7.
Even so, OWs were striking the ball well when Richard H began with his two-stride run-up off-breaks.
The oppo's eyes lit up. His first over went for 12.
But they don't call Richard the Graeme Swann of Cincers for nothing.
(They don't actually call him that at all yet but we need to get this label up and running).
After being smashed for one mighty boundary, the batsman was bowled through the gate by a sharp turner. 36 for 3 and looking good.
Inevitably, OWs rallied after that.
But then Charlie struck, thanks to a fine catch from a half-asleep Tom L at gully.
He was dozing as Saturday night was his official 30th birthday party.
He was still dozing when he came into bat later.
Back to their innings.
A dry-as-dust and slow wicket was suiting Richard.
Suddenly he got two in two. The hat trick ball didn't materialise but there was run-out off his bowling, thanks to Pete posting himself at mid-wicket and sharply moving to square leg.
The bails were sharply removed by Corkie.
For some reason, the scorebook doesn't show it but he also executed a smart stumping to give Richard another wicket.
All the while, Pete toiled away at the other end, his medium swingers tying OWs down but with little reward until James snaffled a catch at mid-on.
At 119 for 9, with roughly six of their alloted 40 to go, OWs were in dire straits.
They rallied once more to 137 for 9.
Having tried out newcomer Tom Pugh (roughly the same height as Tom L, similar build but not snoring while he fielded) for a couple of overs, the Skip brought back Selfish.
He also took a real gamble. He brought himself back on.
The team held its breath. Was this wise?
It was, thankfully, Only one run came off his two overs, one dropped caught and bowled and then redemption by bamboozling the tailender in the flight. The poor man played on.
Excellent fielding by Cincers had helped keep OWs to 143 off 35.
We clapped Richard off the field for his 4 for 30 off 7.
In theory, the target wasn't taxing.
But this was a combined OWs Sunday thirds and seconds.
As for us, we had a couple of new players to bed in.
It was not going to be easy.
Selfish opened up with Dee who's exaggerated 'leaves' outside off (also known as play-and-misses) were soon infuriating the oppo.
Simon ploughed on in the same old way, watchfully playing late and putting away the bad ball away with aplomb.
We moved along steadily, at roughly 3.5 an over - the overall asking rate.
Regardless, Dee started fretting.
Umpiring, the Skip had to remind him that with Selfish at the crease, there was time.
We'd got to about 30 without loss when fate struck.
Having only just stopped mithering about the run-rate, Dee developed a mystery elbow injury and promptly left the field.
That brought in James who clearly has potential to be a heavy-scoring batter but may be needs a winter of nets and coach Frank's tender mercies.
He was bowled for two whereupon Dee (complete with elbow) returned.
It was a brief stay. He was skittled for 11.
Enter Tom L.
And then exit Tom. Immediately.
Sashaying down the wicket first ball to a legspinner (a proper one), he was so far out of his crease he needed a zones one-to-six travelcard to get back.
Forty-two for 3 rapidly became 42 for 4 when new signing Chris Payne, a mate of Richard and James's, was bowled for a duck.
So began the crucial stand. Pete B, better known for his biffing of Cincers' bowling for old enemy BK, strode out.
OWs were confident.
We still needed the best part of 100 and they probably thought we were done for.
The bowling was tight.
But Selfish and Pete were up to the challenge.
Dot balls a-plenty there were but then also the vital boundary here and there.
Drinks came and went but still the partnership continued.
Selfish duly notched yet another 50.
Unfortuately, our scorebook doesn't record exactly when Simon fell - to one that kept very low - but when he went, a shiver went through the watching Cincers.
We still needed four, or just over four, an over and by this time, OWs had brought some serious bowling on.
The Skip, mindful of his suicidal victory-denying run in the previous game, was pacing up and down as he was next but one in.
Thankfully, he was oblivious to the fact that Tom L, doing a long spell of umpiring as punishment for his golden duck, had just told Pete we had no batting left.
(Despite signalling repeatedly to be replaced as umpire - he wanted to use the loo - the Skip refused, saying he needed some time in the middle after that loony shot).
Happily, Corkie didn't hear Tom's 'no batting left' remark either.
He is a 20/20 specialist opening batter. Not one of life's single-takers.
So just as OWs began to smell fear, Corkie nailed them.
Starting with a four, he whacked three boundaries in all to help Pete take us over the line.
As the scoreboard picture shows, Pete finished with an invaluable 39 not out and Corkie with 15 n/o.
A memorable first victory over fine opponents.
To top it off, we gave Tom L a bottle of champers for his birthday.
He didn't open it.
After his first-ball duck, there had to be some limit to the celebrations!
Many thanks to all who turned out.
* Next game - Sunday, August 21 v Weasels at Greenwich Park.

Skipper's doomed dash costs Cincers' victory as pulsating game ends in a tie

Sunstroke. A rush of blood to the head. A misheard call of 'there's one there!'
The Skip was left clutching at excuses on Sunday after a bonkers sprint down the wicket cost us victory.
With seven balls to go (yes, seven) and just one needed to win against new opponents SLICC, he charged down from the non-striker's end like a man possessed.
Terrified, the man on strike - new signing Charlie Barker - was frozen to the crease, baffled as to why a ball hit straight to a close-in mid-off was a run.
It never was.
The bails came off, followed by Cincers' wheels.
The Skip momentarily blamed Charlie for forgetting to switch his phaser to 'stun' and immobilising him at the non-striker's end.
But after several calls to the Samaritans, the captain owned up.
Unforgivable!
His hare-brained charge had broken Cincers' hearts.
Sadly, there were other breakages - starting with Chris Storr's finger.
The digit was severely damaged when he bravely went for a hard-hit catch on the cover boundary.
Very bad luck.
Churlish to point out the drop then went over the boundary for four so we won't.
Chris's injury, confirmed at the conveniently-located St George's Hospital A & E (we were playing near Tooting/South Wimbledon), meant Cincers were down to 10 in the batting department.
That became nine when Mohammad left before he had a chance to strap the pads on.
Our opponents - Southwark and Lambeth Imperial Cricket Club - had the Skip worried as soon as he clapped eyes on them.
There was something about them that spelt danger. It was....youth.
With two Cincers well past their personal half-centuries (Tim M and the Skip), it looked like a tough ask.
SLICC, ironically given his injury, were recommended to us by Chris.
Lawyers, I think they are.
The toss - at Haydons Road Rec 10 minutes from South Wimbledon tube - was won by the Skip.
Although it was a blisteringly hot day, he elected to bowl, fearful that SLICC's rumoured fine quickies would blow us away.
But it was our openers who initially turned up the heat.
Tim Collins, returning for his second game of the season, and Mohammad, started superbly.
The SLICC youngsters hardly laid a bat on ball.
After 10 overs, they were barely at two an over.
But on a lightening quick outfield and dry-as-dust pitch, the change bowlers could not maintain the strangle-hold.
The odd wicket fell - Shebash took a superb catch at mid-off from a fiercely-hit drive off Charlie's medium-pacers.
The Skip came on and bowled a decent two overs, getting SLICC's best batsman (he averages 80 apparently) with a trade-mark stumping by keeper Adam.
But after that, the legspinner lost it big-time and got thumped for about 18 in one over.
Chris Storr was unlucky - as was offie Paul - not to get an LB but then none of the SLICCSTERS departed that way (a moot point given later events).
Apart from the odd heroics, our fielding was, well, rubbish.
Tom at gully and Shebash at mid-off got down to the ball well on a dangerously unpredictable outfield.
But overall, we must have handed SLICC a dozen extra runs through misfields and blunders.
Tom at gully and Shebash at mid-off, though, kept
A score of 199 for 4 off 35 was testing, given the rumour that the opponents were a fine bowling outfit.
Michael Holding in his pomp would have been happy with the run-up SLICC opener Danny took.
He wasn't exactly express but my, he was wild at times - dishing up the odd beamer intermingled with sharp in-swingers.
The full tosses presumably explained why his team-mates were so well versed with the 'above waist-height' no-ball rules.
One full pitch which Shebash played on to a very sensitive area forced him to retire hurt.
Another struck Tom on the glove and left him wincing with pain.
This time, he wasn't acting.
At the other end, SLICC skip Will looked to be bowling a much more controlled length which had opener Ali in some trouble.
That said, Ali plays and misses one ball, then whacks the next for four.
As a pinch-hitter, he's as good as Cincers has had.
So needing over 5 an over, we kept up with the pace even though wickets kept falling.
Ali was LB for 30, Tim M and Adam both went for quickly scored 27s.
Shebash had bravely come back in but could not recover his six-hitting form of last week.
As if to match Chris's misfortune for Cincers, one of SLICC's fielders copped a broken wrist stopping one at mid-off or thereabouts as we went for the runs.
Paul, hitherto known more for his spinning, insisted on being a batsman this weekend.
He played like one.
In fact, his stand with big Tim C - starting with Cincers at 120 for 5 and needing 80 at a rate that had suddenly climbed to eight an over - looked destined to take us to an improbable victory.
Remember, Chris's injury and Mohammad's early dart meant we only had nine batsmen or eight wickets.
SLICC, though they grassed a fair few catches, were far better at ground-fielding than Cincers.
But when you clear the ropes, ground-fielding isn't a problem.
The Tim/Paul combo blazed away, with Paul belting one fine straight six.
But with 20 or so needed off three, he was triggered...by Tim M for 23.
'Moyners' is old school. If he thinks it's out, he gives it.
Regardless of whether any LBs have been given for us.
Paul trudged off, shaking his head. From the side-on view came mutterings that he was well forward.
So enter the Skip, in the batting form of his life, having scored mighty innings (for him) of 25 and 37 as an opener in recent weeks.
What could go wrong?
Anyhow, he wasn't needed.
Tim C kept the strike and crushed SLICC's morale with some mighty blows.
To cries of 'catch it' from the oppo, Tim loudly proclaimed 'you can't catch that' as one disappeared far over the fence.
Then disaster.
With the scores level, Tim M's finger rose again. LB. The batsman left for a majestic and rapid 54.
He wasn't complaining but an unworthy thought flitted briefly across the team's collective mind.
Had the wrong Cincers' finger been cruelly crocked that afternoon?
In came young Charlie on his batting debut for Cincers, two balls to face in the penultimate over.
One to win, one wicket left.
The field came right in.
Charlie's first ball. No run.
So what? Seven to go.
The second ball, whacked firmly to mid-off.
The rest is history. Tragic, bloody history.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

PS: On closer inspection, our beloved scorebook shows Cincers scoring 184 off the bat, plus two no-balls, 13 wides and three leg-byes - 18 extras in total.
Using the now well-established Hindu-Arabic numbering system, that comes to 202.
All together now:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!

PPS: Next game - Sunday, August 7 v Old Wimbledonians at OWs' ground, Raynes Park.