Carib Beer vs G-Research, Battersea Park,

Tuesday 25th July 2017

On a pleasant summer evening, the game commenced with Martin strolling over to the assembled Caribs to casually brag that he'd won the toss and we would bat first to "make the most of the light". Whether this was a tactical masterstroke or hubris remained - at that point - to be seen.

Caribs Weaver and Willis (not quite on a par with the legendary West Indian 3 W's, but only because there are just 2 of them) strode out to enjoy the glorious evening light gifted to us by Martin, although the enjoyment was tempered by some very useful opening bowlers. Carib Willis succumbed to a straight yorker similar to that which did for Malan at the Oval later in the week, while Ringer Sethi made a few runs before swiping at a straight one and getting also bowled. Dressed in non-standard attire to best blend in with the green surroundings of Battersea Park, Carib Weaver blocked, missed and nudged his way to 11 before holing out in the covers when trying to move the score on against the 1st change bowlers.

By this point our captain Carib Haigh was in the middle, beginning his accumulation of runs while others came and went at the other end. Carib Holmes managed a golden duck when trying to slog the opposition's Hungarian bowler to all parts and watching the ball hit the stumps. The impact of Brexit on the opposition line-up (with 2 Hungarians) is currently not known, but the Home Secretary has apparently initiated some research into the matter with some urgency. While Adam received some intensive batting coaching on the boundary, Caribs Haigh and Bowen accelerated the innings nicely, with Carib Bowen showing some particularly fine touch. After a - sadly, single digit - cameo from Carib Kant, Ringer Adam showed the benefit of his warm-up with a quick fire 15 (Martin and Andy B both remaining unbeaten).

So, with 113 on the board the Caribs set about their task and Carib Willis - thinking not of his averages, but of what he could do for the team - opening the bowling as well as the batting. With Ringer Adam whistling them down from the other end to give 3rd man and fine leg fielding practice, the G Research openers built a solid foundation.

Perhaps it was the fading light (the Caribs having had the best of it), that caused Martin to not notice taking the crucial first wicket with a leg side nick snaffled by Carib Bowen behind the stumps. It was given however and we had got amongst them. Despite two opposition batsmen retiring after good knocks, some sharp work by Carib Bowen gifted Carib Weaver 2 wickets with stumpings (you can imagine Carib Willis' Benaud-esque take on how deserved these wickets were) and a run out. Meanwhile on the boundary, trials were underway for Southend United, with Carib Willis making his case for the defensive hard man role with a scything tackle on his fellow fielder.

A third stumping for Carib Bowen surely rewrote the history books, and some tight bowling and fielding took us into the final over - with Carib Haigh bowling into the gloaming and possibly wondering now who had made the most of the light - with 3 needed. Sadly the penultimate ball pierced the infield and the match was gone. While the Caribs consoled themselves with lager and burgers, the opposition showed just what victory meant to them by celebrating with champagne. Even in his absence, Martin was surely noting this as a possible alternative to the end-of-season Stella he works so hard to avoid.

Carib Beer XI Lose by 5 Wickets

Scorecard