The Jolly Boys Cricket Club

Being keen to play at a proper ground everyone has turned up suprisingly early this week. Ogs starts proceeedings off by looking behind the seats in case there have been any tinnies left behind.

Shortly afterwards we lost the toss and Blackpool decided to bat. As usual, there are no fielding pictures...

As we're playing on the wicket furthest away from the pavillion it's quite a short boundary. So having watched Blackpool take full advantage of this it's our turn to bat.

As Tom is away on holiday this week todays openers are Will & Ogs who are closely followed out by Dave Stoddard who is this weeks celebrity umpire.

Botheration. This is a sight you don't see very often as Will returns early to the pavillion. Not in his usual role of having scored his 25 but suprisingly having joined the contenders for the Pedro trophy.

This is not the sort of start we were hoping for.

Meanwhile back on the pavillion the lads are delighted by the lack of midges. The main problem facing us now is the fact that there's a bar, selling splendid Warsteiner, about 20 feet to the right of us. Must... resist... until... after... batting.... Gah !

Back at the wicket Ogs is producing some splendid cricket shots and the score is ticking along nicely.

But what's going on here ? Has Ian turned up late ? No. He's already been in, made a creditable 13 and has then got changed and given in to the temptation of the Blackpool bar.

Hooray for Powelly's nieces who have come down to support the Jollys !

Now let's see if we can produce a win for them.

Back on the boundary two furry Blackpool members plead to be allowed out to "help" with the fielding. Unfortunately though the rules clearly state that canines aren't allowed in the Fylde Twenty20 league so they'll have to make do with a nice lie down instead.

And here comes Stu who returns to the pavillion having made his 25. Well batted senor ! Sadly though our run rate has now fallen well behind so we're going to have to up the ante somewhat if we want to catch Blackpools total.

Blimey Charlie ! Jol positively flies back to the pavillion having once again retired on 28. Sadly though after the good work put in by the top order the rest of us managed only to produce something of a traditional Jollys collapse.

In comes young Joe who once again put his elders to shame with his enthusiasm.

Not long afterwards it was all over with Blackpool taking the last wicket to emerge victorious by quite a wide margin. So it's time to have a quick scoop in the bar where they had kindly put on some sandwiches.

Slightly later than normal we arrive back in the Old Town Hall to go over the game. And just look at the colour of those pints ! They look like they're battery powered. I do hope Des hasn't been getting his beer from Sellafield again as we're mutated enough already.

Despite the fact we lost Des once again cheers us up by producing another magnificent tray of sandwiches !