Report by Matt Samson:
Remnants won the toss and elected to bat on the sun-drenched Fitzwilliam deck. Serby and Young got us off to steady start, going at sixes. Young departed in the 5th (six-ball) over, courtesy of a very good yorker. Samson joined Serby at the crease and together they put on 92. Then Samson, still celebrating after being mistakenly clapped for Serby's fifty, summarily guided the ball straight into the keeper's gloves. That left the score at 123/2 with the best part of 5 overs remaining. Moore entered and expertly rotated the strike. Serby then put on a straight-hitting masterclass, dancing down the wicket to slow bowler and seamer alike. The run-rate continued to increase, even as Moore selflessly gave up his wicket after a running mix-up. Bridgman came in and middled every one of his handful of deliveries, hitting one especially glorious straight drive for four. Serby let fly until the final ball, finishing on 98* with a four tactfully bounced into the ropes in what was perhaps the finest display of (lemonade) jug avoidance in recent years. Remnants finished a formidable 172/3.
In reply, the Philanderers started strongly with a first wicket partnership of 38 from the bowling of newly-discovered seam option Crozier (0/19) and the effervescent White (1/22). Granville (1/30) came on in the 5th over and got the crucial breakthrough, inducing their big-hitting opener to hole out to a composed Harmer at long-off. White summarily knocked the number 3's off peg out of the ground, and then wrapped the other opener 6 inches up his pad, on the crease and dead in front of middle. In what might be labelled a conservative decision, the umpire briskly gave not out and signalled leg byes. The ensuing 3rd wicket partnership was 98; the required rate hovering around 10. Kara (2/38) and Harmer (0/38) had the thankless task of bowling to the two set batsmen. Both hit tidy channels and were unlucky with a series of half-chances and inside edges. Kara ultimately got the breakthrough and the game was well-poised at 138/4, the Philanderers needing 45 off 27. Kara then took another wicket the very next ball, drawing the new batsman into an uppish flick that was duly snaffled by Serby (Samuel) at deep mid-wicket. The remaining opener, now wilting slightly in the heat, successfully negotiated the hat-rick ball. However, he was bowled two overs later; Rix's (1/10) skiddy stump-to-stump seamers ultimately closing the game out in Remnants' favour. The Philanderers finished 11 short at 161/6, in what proved a good-spirited and high-scoring game of cricket.