Leisure Lumberjack. Vs Pudong Aug 13

Oh the day had come , the day to play

A game to take us to the brink of history

The finest of men had gathered together

In the morning light of the camel bar

To collect some kit , beer and pies

For the bus ride to infamy, a spot at the top.

 

With some missing , some on the way

Ice filled 2 eskies and surprise guests arrived

Bloody Mary’s , o gallons of them

To quench and fill those with the need

Of partaking a little morning drink

 

A happy lot marched up the road to the bus

Parked away from its dock

Loaded late we headed off

To witness a fielding drill by Pudong.

 

Rushing to the toss our captain lost

Inserted to field we we happy with the result

Out we marched as Hardon selflessly relinquished a place

In the starting 11 for glory or fail

 

Rash steaming in off full run

Gave the batsmen some hell

With bounce and guile he kept his end tidy

The Chancellor arrived and straight did he follow

With a wicket first ball , LWB and all

 

5 overs down and Rash struck with swinging ball

The Chancellor found the edge in the next

And Fruitbox was true .

3 for 20 and the Bashers in blue

Were as happy as lads in good stead.

 

In the 8th Leppa fielded and threw

A run out it was and Pudong in more trouble

4 for too few

Paps was in and Rash was off,

with Omega to follow the “Chance”

 

Tight lines and length created the doubt

As ball skidded past edge and the stumps

Omega struck twice in the 12th but it could have been more

As twice edges were left on the floor

 

Drinks were consumed , not a boundary was hewn

and Pudong 5 for 37 in ruins

Then Rash took the catch to make it 6

And Leppa came on for Paps Smear

First ball did he strike , caught behind if you like

Celebrations coming loud from the tent.

 

But alas things do change

And that change had a name

Shreet the destroyer, the slayer

The bulky hay maker

And with Santosh made the Bashers pay

 

For just on an hour the batsmen held firm

Striking balls with brute force and at will

Half trackers, half volleys , even good uns it seemed

Were dispatched with deft touch and with steam

 

Some catches put down, some left to their own

the runs piled on fast and mean

Fruitbox had a go, saw them fly to and fro

Till Rash and Chancellor came back on to stem the flow

 

Too little too late

The Chancellor cleaned them both up in the 25th

4 wickets for him, 2 for Omega and for Rash and Leppa

One each as 119 seemed a total within reach.

 

Fisty and Parrot came out to bat first

With time on their hands and their minds

Chirag on to bowl and to keep it tight

A single off the last kept Cymbals on strike

and the Parrot to wait till the third

 

As is his want Parrot hit 2 past square leg

Nice and crisp and to watch a delight

Playing back once too many , hit square in front

And marched back before Fruity was ready

 

2 overs of dots came and went

Before Fruity was set, hitting one to the boundary for 4

Alas to be sure he was out with 2 more

To his name and the long march back home

 

Omega was in , and luck came with him

Being arsey and chancey for runs

He swang at them all, finding edge, sky and none

before Fisty was caught for just one

 

In came the Pope , with intent to hold firm

As he set to it poking about.

Making Fisty look eager

17 dots did he plunder

Before getting off the mark with a 4

 

It wasn’t to last , 3 more did he blast

Till he picked out mid off on the fly,

He juggled and gave hope that the catch was not his

But took hold and the Pope had to go.

 

In came the Paps and together with Mal

Set about to restore Basher pride.

Running ones and twos ,

the old men had their blues

but held firm till drinks came and was gone.

 

Then Pudong lost the plot,

Like the ball was red hot

Either dropping or missing each chance

With nicks and skied balls falling to grass

As the target approached at a canter.

 

Then Omega got hold a a ball to deep leg

To the boundary it surely would go

In the sun sat a cup, with red juice in its hold

And sent flying to the cheers of our fold.

 

Taking one chance too many

The pair took a run

That in hindsight was never to be.

Omega was short by yards one two and three

Out for 26 runs wondering what might have been.

 

Sharapova in next with 50 to get , in just on a run a ball

5 wickets in hand and the Paps in command

the Leisure up for a battle royal

But things slowed just a bit,

as they tightened their grip

and Paps run out from a bad call.

 

The Captain came in , with a gleam in his eye

‘This is the moment Ive waited for now’

Settled into his stance for one ball as a sighter

The next was walking back , with his stumps all over

 

Rash strode forth with intent to do well

Get his team in the second chance final

But this was not to be , as his fate would agree

Did the same as his happless skipper

 

With 23 to get at a run a ball

The Chancellor could be trusted with an end.

Sharapova holed out and Hardon was in

being caught out with 3 overs left.

 

All out for 99, what an end to the fight

One that showed much and gave little allright

But us Bashers , we men with the hammer for crest

will still fight it out in the finals , Dirty doggies in our sight.

 

Great friends in our quest for the love of our game

and a thirst for the amber fluid

travelled back to the bar on the bus

with fines  banter and good humor

and awaiting the debut of potential new Basher

Benchods young sibling, the Kid Fucker