Played at Parliament Hill, 10-a-side

By Rafe Smallman (Captain)

It certainly was the best day of the year, and the cricket wasn't that bad either.

The Old Fallopians were put into bat against an improved Chats Palace team and this seemed a mistake from even before the first ball was bowled.

There was, however, a bit of life in the pitch which the Chats Palace bowlers were able to exploit. This did not, however, prevent the Old Fallopians getting off to a roaring start, with 50 runs in the first 6 overs, thanks to some big hitting form Matt Wales.

Although the scoring rate was not maintained, a score of 217 in 35 overs looked like a good score. Useful contributions from Steve Ward, Puneet Patel and Matt Meads, held together by Rafe Smallman, meant it was the Old Fallopians who went into tea the happier team.

Did they eat too much? It certainly was good, and it was the turn of the Chats Palace batsmen to take advantage of the short boundaries.

A few wickets fell, however it appeared that the big hitting of the Chats Palace batsmen would see them stroll to a win, placed at about 160/3. However, there was a wiff of a change of momentum following the drinks break with the introduction of some slow spin bowling.

A couple more wickets and the tide felt like it was turning. Then two wickets in two balls from Steve Ward and it was the Old Fallopians who could sense victory. The penultimate wicket fell with an outrageous run out, and nerves jangled as Chats Palace needed 6 from their final pair.

The 6 runs seemed to take an age, however some sensible batting saw them to the end, leaving the Old Fallopians disappointed yet somehow happy with their day's work.

[The evening ended a short distance away at the Junction Tavern on Fortess Rd, where a promised beer festival ran out of, er, beer - Ed]