Bashers Business Report

Bashers,

Sunday saw the Grudge Match take place at Dulwich College.
Having parked the bus, erected the tent and settled ourselves for the game – Stats managed to lose the toss (again) yet still manage to set the Bashers up for a chase, with Ben ‘the Skipper of the Hot Dogs’ Goodwin opting to bat first.

Cranky and Mr. Tickle opened up from the College end, both producing plenty of pace and bounce forcing the Hot Dogs into rash strokes and losing regular wickets.
Wickets continued to fall regularly through-out the innings with only the Doggies tail providing any wag (Anti-Basher despite numerous profanities, bat pointing and ‘umpire coaching’ managing to reach 40). Unfortunately the extras conceeded over the innings not only outscored their top 2 batsmen combined – it also meant we ended up bowling over 10 extra overs at them. Given those parameters, we did well to restrict them to 230/9.

Special mention to Cranky for taking more wickets in one afternoon than in previous seasons – a very fine 8 overs, 4 for 46 being the pick. Mentions also to Chewie and Sir Dick for fielding supremely both taking 3 catches.

So the chase was on 231 to win. Just under 6 an over.
Stats and Sir Dick looked very comfortable in putting on 35 in less than 7 overs before a run out – never one to point fingers, but it was his call and he was going to the danger end… (open to discussion)
Dipso played and missed at a couple before deciding it was time for pies, sandwiches and banana bread… Duck.
Mr. Tickle came in to settle the nerves of the Bashers Corner doing a fine impression of Nike Newton in amassing 7 off 25.
Again wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and annoyingly very few were to good balls. At the half way stage we were in a very similar position to the Dogs.
It is thanks to the strength in depth of our batting line-up that we can boast a bottom 4 that includes three genuine batsmen (Filthy, Paps and Long Dong) as well as Cranky. The 4 combined well, taking us perhaps closer to the target than we might have predicted.

Big shouts out to Woodstock and his courier for providing us with plenty of pies, Tank and Birdshit for scoring and drinking our beer and the Bamboo for helping us get drunk.

Although the result saw the end of the Bashers unbeaten run in League 1, the margin of the defeat (us taking lots of wickets, scoring plenty of runs and not losing all our wickets) means we are still top of the league. Most importantly – the Hot Dogs will need to thump their next opponents to overtake us at the end of Round 3.
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