North Midd 5th XI v Alexandra Park 4th XI

North Midd 5th XI vs Alexandra Park (Home)
North Midd 198 from 34 overs
Alexandra Park 166 from 48 overs
North Midd won by 22 runs

A gloomy weather outlook was not going to deter the Fantastics from putting pressure on the top two teams in the 5th Division of the 1987 League. Skipper RG was also determined to keep his 100% winning record whilst standing in for poppadum hands and North Midd legend Richey Nicoll……(by the way the carp are still biting even though the rod is supported with only 3 fingers and a thumb!)
So it was with cars crammed with kitbags, biltong and boiled sweets the Fantastics set off to Peter May, even though the BMW CARR’s had decided to direct without telling the skipper, leaving the rest of the team feeling like sardines in rather tight tin cans. It was a good omen when we arrived to see the oppo on the wrong pitch, and this means that when they eventually arrived at the correct pitch they looked rather tired after the long Sherpa trek around the crevasses of the Peter May playing fields.
The Fantastics skipper RG lost the toss, and we were inserted again! Openers Andy and Father Tim started the innings in attacking mode on a bobbly wobbly knobbly surface that looked like it had been rolled with a rolling pin and cut with a pair of sheep shears! This made batting difficult (unless you were a sheep that liked making pastry) and after Father Tim (24) and Andy were out, a tumble of wickets fell, and the Fantastics were in dire straights at 67-5! Time for Biltong and this seemed to beef up the Fantastics batting as the score started to cattle along. (sp. rattle)
A steady rebuild by Seb and RG got us up to 143-6. Seb went on to make 90 and with some very useful hitting by the lower order, we totalled 198 ao only using 35 overs.
After a much-improved tea, which now included Swiss roll and mini eggs, Alexandra Park started their innings.
AP got off to a good start, with the first wicket falling after a 50 partnership. Some very controlled bowling by Luke “T-1000” Morgan and Max “Headroom” Harris pegged them back to 70-3 before their no. 5 Crank started to hit out. With AP seemingly on top, Joey “Bangers & Mashup” Bangerter took the crucial wicket of Crank for 42. This proved to be the turning point, allowing Seb “U-Turn” Carr to get into their lower order from the other end.
Backed up by some fantastic bowling from Joe and Max as well as excellent restricting fielding by all, especially Jonty Rhodes brother Bumpy, Seb picked up wicket after wicket ending up with figures of 5-33 and AP were all out for 169. Good keeping from AB Teflon who did not miss a thing all afternoon including a fine catch was another highlight! A fine win from the Fantastics which puts pressure on the top two and sets up great anticipation and excitement for the next few weeks matches!
Father Tim