Everything started calmly at the Verulanium upper pitch, the Dad's spiritual home, even though this was an away game.
It was agreed that the Dads should bat first in a seven vs. eight player scenario. Stragglers expected. Captain Phil Spencer promoted Simon Wilson and Tim Winfield to openers. On a drying wicket with the new ball Gardenfields proceeded to bowl fast and accurately. With watchfulness the two Dad stalwarts played themselves in. A good base was established with Simon scoring an elegant 16 runs. In strode Captain Phil. The bowlers were rotated. Then the fireworks commenced. Utilizing their trade mark pull shots and straight smashes, ideal on this pitch with the short coppice boundary, the Dads let rip.
Tim with a straight 6 off a full toss, losing the ball. Phil, still getting his eye in, edged for 4. Phil straight smash 4. Tim straight 4 followed by pulled 4. Tim retires. Phil pulled 4. Peter Church pulled 4 then pulled 6 off a full toss. Phil straight 4. Phil straight 4 hammered to the long boundary. Phil repeats. Peter C survives an LBW appeal with a big stride, then smashes a straight 6 and pulls another 6 off another full toss. Stumping chance, but Peter just back. Peter retires.
Richard Noden and Pete Stauvers sportingly give up their wickets.
New boy Mike Jones gets his chance and is immediately off the mark. Phil combines his two favourite strokes with a pull/smash for 4. Phil, half volley 4. Phil retires. Ian Holmes pulls a 4. Mike straitish 4. Ian chip/pull 4. Ian straight 4. Ian waits for a slow bouncer to reach him then hooks it for 4. Mike is hit in the chest as Gardenfields revert to body line in an attempt to stem the flow. Mike pulls the last ball for 2. The total 159 for 3, even with big hitting Jonno Hook and Roger Barton still on the bench.
This was more spectacular than the River of Fire. Could it continue?
Tim opened the bowling, his first of the season, and was on the money, inducing a skier taken by Simon moving smartly from behind the sticks. Then the fielding master class started. Phil, at deep square leg. Richard, mid wicket. Ian, third man. Pete S, fine leg. Peter C, cover. Mike, point. Roger, mid-on. Tim, mid-off. Jonno, deep extra cover.
Nothing passed Richard. Mike and Peter C both diving to make saves and throwing in balls whilst prone. Stauvers taking notes. Jonno swooping, crow like, onto boundary bound balls and hurling them in left handed. Phil, Tim and Ian arrowing balls in at high velocity. Roger, dancing about to save runs. Simon, behind the timbers, dealing with increasingly erratic bounce and attempting two stumpings, one without the ball.
As is the way with limited overs bowling, the first over is a sighter, the second over more potent. In his second over Tim gave a confident LBW shout followed by a long stare at the umpire inducing him to raise the finger. Ian and Jonno restricted the scoring and were mightily unlucky not to wicket in their second overs. Mike, with slow-medium spin well suited to this pitch, added to the drama. First, he leapt to pat onto the stumps a brilliant throw from the rope, by Ian, for a run out. Next a breathtaking attempted catch by Peter C, hurting his hand in the process. Mike was reward in his second over as Peter C, wincing, took a catch in the deep with his bad hand. The batsmen continued to play and miss inducing Mike to become more animated than Steamboat Willie.
Richard found a good length bowling his flippers and was rewarded when Stauvers, pocketing his notebook, heard a hue and cry, glancing up he saw the pill flying towards his face. With a choice between catching it and hospital food, he caught it. Shrewd field placement by Captain Phil. This was followed by Stauvers' first ball of his second over scattering the timbers.
Next on Roger, mixing up his deliveries, who would have wicketed early had Ian been three inches taller, then he struck as Simon took another catch behind the wickets. Peter C's spell was accurate from the off including a maiden over and a catch by Roger that looped over the wicket keepers head. Last up Phil, shortening his run to bowl medium paced cutters, was unlucky not to take a handful of wickets.
The result, Gardenfields finished on 112 for 8. Dads win but hats off to Gardenfields for their sporting spirit.
The results of the mandatory drugs tests are expected back any day now.