The Jolly Boys Cricket Club

As usual the season starts with the ping of beer tins being opened. And to celbrate the new format we've really pushed the boat out and start with a can of "Low Eyebrow"

Ah... if only it was their Oktoberfest special now there's a drink (you're supposed to be reporting on the cricket you fool - ed.)

Meanwhile back on the square the Jollys have won the toss and have elected to bat. So out go Ogs and Stuey to start us off.

Well sensing a disaster we've doscovered that the batteries in the camera were flat so it's time to put in the spares. But woe upon woe they're flat too (you do have to make the effort to actually recharge them you idiot -ed.)

But just when we thought match report disaster loomed I rememberred the emergency spares so got them in place just in time to see Ogs returning to the seats. So it's the first wicket down and not much in the way of runs on the board. Looks like the usual Jollys season is starting...

Once again it's a good turn out for the Jollys with a full team on the pitch and a couple of spares. Sadly Powelly was last to arrive this week so he takes his turn in the stands throwing abuse (and the occasional piece of rotten fruit) at the hapless Jolly batsmen.

Back at the wicket some accurate bowling has been keeping the runs down but Dave is doing his best to open the face of the bat. And for those of you who aren't used to the quality of our pictures Dave is the white dot vaguely in the middle of the picture.

Oh for a nice telephoto lens ! (you only get that sort of cash spent when proper photographers are photographing proper cricket games -ed.)

The wickets are falling, the runs aren't zipping along so it's already time for "new boy" Glenn to make his way to the crease. So now it's time for him to play the Jollys time honoured "find a matching pair of pads" game.

In amongst the sound of falling wickets there's some good news as Tom becomes the first Jolly to score over 25. And in this league that means you then have to retire but are able to come back in again once the rest of your team are out.

A strange rule some might say but one thing's for certain it wil lstop teams playing their Saturday league "ringers" who merely turn up for a bit of batting practice !

Shortly after this the emergency batteries started running down, the beer started running out and we even sighted a passing black dog. But fear not as rather than being from the supernaturl he was looking as old and knackered as most of the Jollys !

It was just as well that we saved the last bit of battery charge for the end of the game as despite not posting a large total we were able to put in a splendid spell of bowling which gave us victory in a most enjoyable game. So, as the sun takes his hat off for the day, we finish with a victorious Jollys celebrating their first win of the season.