Our first match at the VSD against Alvin's Galacticos starts somewhat inauspiciously with only about half the 22 players arriving by 6pm.
Tim P, the last Saddo to arrive is promptly given a share of the new ball with Rupert. In what proves to be a tactical masterstroke, the Galactico openers are bamboozled by Rupert's swingers and Tim's mystery balls and hardly a run is scored.
This effective pair is replaced by WG and Simon W - bringing quick results. WG quickly removes one of the openers and by dint of the second tactical masterstroke of the day, Simon gets a wicket pouched at first slip by Mark. First slip!
More steady bowling keeps the run rate at on the turgid side of slow - the only highlight, apart from the parsimonious bowling and good run out effected by Glenn, being when a dog runs on to the field, swiftly followed by an apologetic owner.
Glenn and Mark complete their tight spells with Glenn bowling his now obligatory 4-ball that neither keeper, slip nor very fine leg can stop. He also bowls his wicked in-ducker that makes a mess of the stumps.

Michael and Harsha then take up the attack which sees the Galacticos first boundary off the bat, coming in the 10th over.
Clearly, having left their charge til late, the batting team are looking to step up the rate. But with the sponge like VSD surface providing variable pace, the going is tough. Keeper Rich even stops one with his Adam's apple when standing up to the stumps. There is a rumour that a catch may have been dropped off the skipper's bowling but no one can remember seeing it.
The last few overs see a few boundaries smeared, Harsha and Busted bearing the brunt, taking the total to 98 - special mention to Tim W for some steady death bowling.

Alvin's, having started the match with 10, are now down to 9 after one of the chipmunks cries off at the interval. In true Saddos spirit we offer them not one but two fielders - one of them being Glenn, about whom we shall return to.
Tim P and Harsha open the batting and Saddos are soon in trouble with neither troubling the scorers a great deal. It's left to Mark and Rupert to steady the ship on a difficult pitch and some canny bowling.
The runs soon begin to flow and Mark playing a lofted straight drive, picks out Glenn on the boundary. Glenn completes the straight forward catch and steps backwards clearly taking him over the boundary. Glenngate ensues. The fielding team is unaware of the transgression and celebrates, Mark duly walks off and has reached the boundary when Glenn's misstep is pointed out to Alvin, who after some discussion, sportingly calls Mark back.
Glenn's getting daggers from both sides - from Saddos for taking the catch and from Alvin's for stepping over the boundary.
Rupert holes out near to retirement and brings Rich to the crease who promptly obliges Alvin who asks him to 'hit it closer to gully next time' by hitting a dolly straight to gully. There may have been some swearing on his walk back.
Mark soon retires which ushers in a mini collapse. The two Simons are cruelly undone by the spongy surface, bringing skipper Jones to the crease who swishes merrily to take us closer to the target.
What could have been a tricky final few overs is expertly handled by Tim W's urgency in running between the wickets and Glenn batting like Glenn does.
Victory is ours with 7 wickets down and 4 overs to spare - an excellent team performance.

Penalties:

Tim P +1 (late arrival - redeemed by his opening spell)
Glenn +2 (Glenngate)
Harsha +2 (spending more time in the nettles than at the crease and producing a match report devoid of any detail)
Rich +1 (obliging Alvin's instructions to hit it to gully)


PS: Alvin's taken a shine to our pink balls and would like to get his hands on some of his own.