10-man Cincers and Chairman's new Pants triumph over Saints

No Selfish Batter, no Big Jim, no Vice-Skip and no Rockie...and still
10-man Cincinnati triumphed up in Elstree this weekend.
The valiant - if weakened team - beat London Saints by 52 runs with star
performances by Tim R with the ball, new boy Richard Edwards with the bat
and with both Will and Dan heavily in the runs.
Why, even if the Skip figured with an imperious 15 opening up ("like
watching paint dry", said one disloyal Cincinnatian) and with the ball.
First, Cincinnati won the toss and opted to bat on what proved to the
slowest pitch in the known world.
Tim R, opening up with the Skip, got sent back by the Captain for a quick
single to mid-on and clearly distracted, then played over the next ball to
bring Richard E to the crease.
Richard's a sort of right-handed Selfish and proceeded to milk Saints'
bowling for 65, most of it in a competitive (and we do mean competitive)
partnership with Will who got 45.
In fact, it got so competitive that Will got himself out, trying to clip a
full, straight ball round the corner for a single to pinch the strike.
Sadly for Saints, that brought in Dan who - first with Richard, then with
new boy Ben Ellery - put the bowlers to the sword to hit 53 not out.
Cincers closed on an impressive 220 for four off 35 overs.
Game over? Er, no. Ever the gents, we then kicked off with newcomer Chris
Ashman offering pace but with several wides while Dan, gamely filling in as
opener, struggled to hit his stride.
Dan hit back with a smart run-out to send one of their opening batsmen on
his way.
Enter Tim R (7 overs, 2 for 16) and the Chairman, wearing his new Lords'
Pad Man match underwear for the first time in anger, (7 overs, one for 35)
to rein them in and push the run-rate up.
Then Steve Binks, playing only his second game since his maiden performance
against Saints a year ago, bowled superbly to end with figures of six
overs, one for 18.
Heaven forfend, the Skip's leggies began with a maiden and ended with seven
overs, three for 38.
Saints, who at one stage were up with the rate, crumbled to 168 for 8 off
35 overs.
Best of all, that included one of the Skip's oldest mates (John Quinn)
getting a good old-fashioned duck, superbly caught by Will down the
legside.
We rejoice and are glad.

PS: Our picture shows the Chairman being presented with his new all-in-one cricket briefs by the Skipper at the previous game in Ham.