The Jolly Boys Cricket Club

The entrance to the ground.

The view across the wicket. With no boundary rope out there's going to be either some good hitting or some good running needed to make a decent score.

The grandstand in all its glory.

And this is where the teams will be making their way to and from the wicket.

Just look at the wicket istself. Magnificent !

A batsmans eye view of the pavillion. Mmm... the bar is visible...

Ooops, we've been rumbled !

As to be expected everyone is turning up on time and eager to play. Despite the eearly hour Tom and Tony turn their heads to the bar entrance as they think they've heard the door catch opening.

Having been drawn to play in the first Dave once again wins the toss and we're batting first. So it's time to make use of the splendid changing rooms !

It's a disgrace ! It might well be finals day and it might well be 11:00 a.m. but there's no excuse for drinking water gentlemen.

Finally we're off. Will and Tom dissapear off on to the wicket to open the batting.

And in double quick time Will is returning to the pavillion having scored 25. Now that's the sort of start we were hoping for.

Shannon has even managed to find the special embroidered Jolly Boys hat especially for the occassion !

Wowzle ! Here comes Tom having also made his 25. This is a simply termemndous start for the Jollys.

Shannon has requested yours truly puts in "the hat" so here it is (note also the ladylike "finals day" beard - ed.)

Having done his excellent pre match pitch report it's Ogs turn in the middle where he starts by pushing back down the divot made by his key test (see opening video - ed.)

With a full squad out today Ez is content to perform paternal duties. He's spotted here taking a small break from the "banana aeroplane lunch" game to watch Ogs hit a lovely stroke.

And the spectators are now starting to trickle in. Proving once again that cricket is a fun day out for all the family your Ricky leads "Team Bailey" up the steps and into the grandstand.

But back on the pitch there's been a bit of a disaster going on as the Jollys middle order is knocked off in double quick time by Rushale. After a splendid start Will & Tom soon find themselves back at the wicket where they pull all the stops out and manage to get the score up to a reasonable 124.

You know the excuse by now "there are no fielding pictures as there was nobody to take picture" etc. etc. But having started well Rushale too had a bit of middle order jitters which left the Jollys able to keep their run rate well behind ours. Having been left with too much to do they eventually finished well short of our total and the semi was ours !

Meanwhile back at Blackpool zoo The "Happy Tails" Lemur gang gather round the radio to hear the news. Having been Jollys fans for some time now they're delighted to hear of our progress and celebrate with a bit of scent marking and a play fight.

Back at the zoo honorary Jollys coach Herbert gives us a ticking off "You scraped through that by sheer luck and two good batsmens playing a blinder. This one's going to be much harder so get your fingers out, stop monkeying around, and go out there and play properly." Sound advice Herbert, sound advice...

And the stands filling up nicely. It's now past lunchtime so the fans are arriving in droves and they're all keen to start tucking into their picnic lunches (surely you mean "watch the action"" ? - ed.)

Good grief ! An actual action shot ! Having lost the toss we're fielding first but thanks to mini Lisas 10x zoom we finally get some shots of us in the field. And just look at Ogs go !

Back at the over end in comes Baz. Thanks to his wretched kickball knee injury he's still not back to full pace yet but is still a force to be reckoned with.

But the Warbreck innings is soon coming to a close where they end on a very useful 131. Now we really have got our work cut out.

But help is at hand. Fresh from his appearance in the Great Ecclestone "Celebrity Over 60s" side here's Jol to offer us some tactical advice.

"When you start the sesson pick a drink and stick to it all night. Don't go mucking around changing betwen brews all day or you'll end up with a bad head" Hmmm... methinks he got that from local legend Ken !

And the action's gripping as out on the field we're managing to keep up with the run rate. And thanks to two overthrows off one ball we even manage to run 5 off one delivery !

Si and Bubs might not be playing today but they're here for the big day out.

It's a full turn out today with Darren and Molly joining us for the cricket (and picnic) action !

Special mention must also go to the gentleman who voluntailyr kept the scre board up to date. Well done sir ! And may your pipe keep puffing away for many seasons to come !

Barry senior proves he's got more hair that the rest of the family put together.

And the fans (that's the players you idiot - ed.) are starting to really get into the swing of things !

Speaking of players it was good to see Wyre out in force. We'll hope to see you back in action in next years finals day !

Hooray ! The mighty Dexter makes an appearance. (This report seems to be turning into an issue of Hello - ed.)

But to get back to the cricket (at last -ed.) we're managing to keep the runs ticking along and are quietly confident we're in with a chance.

Oh bugger. Will is unable to repeat his heroics from the first innings and makes his way to the stand. But just look at how the light has changed. We'd better get a move on or we're going to end up batting in the dark !

Oh no ! Not long after Will here comes Tom. That's our two big guns from the semi both out.

And with the light fading fast and wickets starting to fall we're starting to panic. But just when we needed it Powelly puts in a simply splendid performace and bats his way through to retire on 25.

But the lights now that bad that the club have been forced to switch on the floodlight. (Not without us having to have a whip round the stand so we could put 50p in the meter though - ed.)

Following a hasty look down the back of car seats and in unused coat pockets we manage to find another couple of quid and the pavillion floodlights are now on too.

Back at the pavillion tension is mounting as ther light is fading but we're somewhow managing to keep up woith the run rate. This is going to be a tense finish.

With the gloom now making it hard to see what's going on in the middle Molly comes to our aid and switches on the light system of her coat.

Dave looks nervous and he might well be. There are four overs to go, we need a run a ball, he's in next and you can no longer see what's going on.

The tactics in the middle are simple. Wait for the bowler to let go, have a swipe in the dark and, if you don't hear your wickets break, run. By the time the fielders have found the ball you can run a single.

But it's gone right down to the wire... after some hurried scrablling about it's the last ball of the game and we need one to win it. Tension in the stand is intense as the ball leaves the bowlers hand (eh ? nobody could see the bowler, let alone his hand - ed.)

But there's the noise of bat on ball, a scramble in the middle followed by a great roar of triumph as we take a single and victory is ours ! Back in the stands the crowd goes wild !

Well in all fairness we think the match really should have been abandoned and a replay arranged but we all decided to carry on so the result stands. So all that is left to do is to present the Trophy.

WIth his man of the match heroics in the semi Will gets first guzzle out of the cup. Mmmm... the lovely traditional taste of Warsteiner with just the keenest hint of silver polish !

So the stage is set for the Jollys to indulge in a spot of silver poilsh poisoning. Next up it's Baz's turn for a glug.

Closely followed by Tom... And Ogs, and Dave (Carlyle), and Ian, and Tony, and Dave (Stoddard), and Stu, and Powelly, and yours truly. Special mention also for young Joe Powell who was allowed a small celebratory glug in recognition of his efforts this season.

After several celebratory pints in the club bar we make our way back to the Old Town Hall. There are no sandwiches tonight but Simon is a true gentleman and fills up the cup free of charge !

In fact he even gets Benson in on the action with some free cider. What a host ! What a pub ! What a team ! (what a bunch of drunks -ed.)

Special thanks also to Lisa who helped out with this weeks photos ! (Lisa's legal team would also like us to make clear that she was not in fact roaring drunk she was merely very happy for us and was "joining in the tomfoolery" - ed.)

Blimey ! There's no keeping the boy down. Will finishes off as he started by polishing off another cup of beer !

So another season comes to a close. All that's left to do is say well done to everyone involved and we'll hopefully see you all next year !