Carib Beer XI vs Old Boys, Regents Park,

Thursday 29th June 2023

While the England mens’ test team were facing off against Australia less than a mile away at Lord’s, the Caribs arrived in Regent’s Park to face their own long-standing adversaries “the Old Boys”. And as England’s Bazball approach was mixing the sublime and ridiculous, so the Caribs were toying with a revolutionary “Glenball” strategy.

After a half-hearted coup attempt on WhatsApp during the day – where Carib Rayner sought to assume the captaincy and install an alcohol-based regime before being reminded him of his place as Deputy to the Vice Captain – actual Vice Captain Carib Weaver took the pragmatic decision to bat first and promote Carib Rayner to open the batting. Keep your friends close and send your enemies out to face the new ball….or something like that! While fellow opener Carib Banerjee rattled to 20 off 17 balls before being caught and bowled by Ian Luciani, Glen was digging in for the long haul. Despite some heckling from the boundary he wasn’t looking to turn the 1’s into 2’s and the boundary remained elusive, however with the Caribs’ innings in its latter stages Glen finally retired on 25 n.o. having “anchored” the innings. McCullum and Stokes may be in touch if a change of tack is planned for the 3rd Ashes test.

Meanwhile, Carib Berry had compiled a fluent 25 n.o. off 25 balls, extras contributed a very respectable total and former-Carib Willis celebrated like Jack Leach at Headingley with his 1 n.o. off 1 ball confirming another likely “infinite average and strike rate 100” season. All up the Caribs reached 123-3 and with the time pressure to return the artificial wicket stumps by 8:30 the Caribs took to the field.

Since Carib Haigh was off trekking in the Himalayas and Carib Bowen had left us in the lurch (his homework ate his dog, or some such excuse), Carib Weaver coordinated proceedings from behind the stumps. All 9 of the other Caribs and ringers got a couple of overs (18 bowlers in total across the match!), and wickets fell fairly regularly. As well as 3 for Carib Yusuf, Cordey, Willis, Rishi and Moss got one each. The final coup de grace was a final ball run out where not one, not two, but three batters (one a runner) ended up at the same end.

Special credit goes to Old Boys captain Steve Curtis, whose leadership extended to an excellent trolley and cool-box set up to provide pitch-side refreshments. The Caribs had secured a victory, but sunshine, beer and cricket were the winners really.

Carib Beer XI Win by 42 Runs

Scorecard