The Jolly Boys Cricket Club

The team start proceedings in a thoroughly jolly fashion by having a listen to the Duckworth Lewis method CD which Dave plays for us on his car stereo.

Which must have put him in a good frame of mind as he once again wins the toss. After a small consultation we decide to make the controversial decisions to put Marauders in to bat (totally against Geoffrey Boycotts advice - ed.) !

Our first job is therefore to ask the resident swifts is they can keep an eye out for stray balls. Or is it a swallow ? Well it's flying rather swiftly and it's swallowing the insects it's catching so now we are confused. Where's resident ornithologist Jol when you need him for a "bird umpiring&quo;t decision ?

Marauders innings has come to a close having made 88 for 3 and we're now batting. But botheration... I've clean forgotten that my trusty digicam doesn't like shooting into the sun.

Needless to say this is just the angle from the pavillion at this time of the year so I end up with about 30 pictures all of similar darkness (or worse) But if you can make out the action through the (digital) gloom that's Tom and Will once again opening the batting.

Meanwhile back on the other end of Cottam Hall there's kickball action where Poulton have just gone one down to Fleetwood thanks to the goalie failing to clear a (poor) backpass. Not that we're interested in kickball really but we thought it would be polite to mention them (and it proves the camera works when not facing into the sun - ed)

back at the wicket you can just see the ball silhoutted against the sky as Marauders seek to keep our run rate down and we look to get the run rate going - not to mention trying to avoid getting clanged in the head due the wild and totally unpredictable bounce off the Cottam Hall wicket.

Back on the sidelines Will has come in having been caught for 12 and Ogs makes trebly sure he's got his box in position. It's one thing getting a random bounce to the head but a gentlman must protect his prize assets !

Hooray ! A slight change in shooting angle means you can see an action shot as Ian prepares to face. And a special mention must be made for Tom who didn't carry his bat this week and who joined Will Rainford in contributing 9 each to the score.

Back at the wicket Powelly is going "great guns" and is peppering the ball off to the boundarys. And thanks to some sharp camera action you can see the ball in mid air as it flies off for four (n.b. you'll need you magnifying glasses but it is actually in the centre of the picture - ed.)

When we say Powelly is going "great guns" we're not kidding as he's positively whacking the ball about. There goes another one exiting stage right !

But it's not all boundaries and Ian and Powelly are also doing their fair share of running between the wickets.

Mrs Seagull pops over to ask if we could kindly keep the ball out of her sky as she's trying to teach some youngsters a few aerobatic manouvres and they keep getting distracted by thoughts of large flying tomatos.

With Ian deciding Powelly isn;t having all the glory the runs have positively piled on and it's not long before we pass Marauders total with a few overs to spare. But the game ended on a slight damp squib as needing one to win a wide was bowled.

Which leaves only the after match congratulations, commiserations before it's time for a spot of boozing !

And after last weeks banquet Simon hits back with some extras of his own ! Roasted peppers stuffed with cream cheese and some sliced Polish sausage. Taste-tastic !

So what can we say ? Once again it's gold stars for the Old Town Hall's catering efforts !

  

Ooops... Rather than coming straight to the pub Baz decided to pop back home to freshen up but he took so long to do his hair that he arrived just in time to see the last of the lettuce dissapearing down the throats of Locust Patrol. Will attempts to console him by pointing to a slice of Red Onion and a tomoto that are hiding under a stray leaf.