SADS v Park St - Sandpit Lane 2025-06-10
*SADS Win by 8 wickets*

Looking at the head-head the SADS usually edge this fixture - true to historical form, in the early June twilight the SADS were able to secure their first win of the 2025 season (5th time of asking), beating Park St by 8 wickets!!!

The evening started off on a bum note when SADS learnt we had been ousted by a SACC colts team from the main pitch to the all weather astro - which looked a bit shabby to say the least. Having failed to negotiate a pitch swap with the colts umpire (who was a Gardenfields Dad) Frazer Antman offered the SADS use of a carpet brush from his door to door cleaning product supply business to sweep the wicket. Sorry Frazer the brush was pretty ineffective...but somehow it did weave some magic as the astro pitch turned out ALRRRIIIIGT!

This was the debut match for Vasu, who after a year of coming up with excuses, finally donned his whites and turned out for his new team.

There was also an emergency callout to James 'Judas' Nairne, who was asked to infiltrate an opposition short of players....

Park St went into bat first.

Granty turns up late, and has the look of horror when he discovers that we are playing on an 'astro' and only has his £150 Paul Smith trainers with him.

Captain WG leads the troops out and asks Tucks to join him and open the bowling.

Tidy first over from Tucks Master General who takes a wicket with an outswinger which Dan the gloveman Lewis does well to catch off a widish edge - staking a claim to be first choice SADS wiki. Tucks was ecstatic and turns to celebrate with a face like a Cheshire cat.

He and WG kept the openers under pressure with good figures.

Next up is the debutant Vasu who having not played for 20 nyrs...returned decent bowling figures of 3-0-16-0.

Jones replaces WG and serves his usual assortment of pies, which at times bamboozled the Park St batsmen and was unfortunate not to add another wicket to his impressive 2025 tally when Frazer 'butter fingers' Antman drops a straight forward catch off one of his pukka pies.

Bustardos and Straight Lacey, playing only his second game are the next SADS bowling partnership. Decent bowling from Straight Lacey, Bustardos fails with an LBW appeal.

The Park St run rate is fairly pedestrian at this stage

Bottom is next up and gets a wicket with his 2nd delivery. Tucks, juggling the ball takes a catch on the third attempt and collapses in a heap on the ground. This is the first of 4 catch opportunities Tucks has in as many overs.....Tuckers Luck!!

Park St are 47-2.

Then James 'Judas' Nairne comes out for Park St and scores a swashbuckling 33 including 2 sixes....this was NOT in the plan.

The double act of Granty and CRS are next up.....someone on the boundary is heard muttering that wides are better than boundaries!!!

Park St finish up with 123 for 2 wickets off their 20 overs.

SADS chasing 124 to win, send out specialist opener Bottom with Bustardos who put on a 47 partnership for the first wicket and build a nice platform for Antman and Granty to go and play some shots.

At this point as match manager I have to go and get chips so the SADS batting report is a bit sketchy from this point onwards....

Frazer Antman and Granty follow Bustardos lead and retire. Both playing fine innings, Antman scoring 27 including a 6 and Granty eclipsing this with 37, with 3 successive fours scored in the last over.

Tucks is caught for 1 by that man again Judas Nairne...

Leaving Straight Lacey and Pukka Pies Jones to jostle for the winning runs.

As I approach the ground having missed most of the SADS batting innings but importantly having scored the chips, I can see Pukka Pies Jones with both hands raised aloft. Is he umpiring, is he practicing some kind of bizarre Lib Dem gesture ....no he has only gone and hit a boundary (was it a trademark one handed pullshot??) and is celebrating scoring the winning runs and grabbing more bragging rights in the process.

The Ridgeway chips 'n' gravy (+ free mushy peas) have arrived just in time for the end of the match....SADS have won, WG wheels out his festival esky with all the bells and whistles, tinnies a plenty and importantly some ketchup. The SADS celebrate their first win of the season.