Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat snatched from the jaws of victory

Fearless Giles Bourne could not have put it any better:

“We won!!! But only just. Our run rate in the second innings was very very slow.

McGregor stayed the course and got 22 runs from 17 odd overs.

Then Garvs, Wildblood and Billy brought us back into the game.

We won with one over to spare.”

Still stinging from two consecutive and rather ignoble defeats the Mad Dogs took to the field against the Mavericks with hope and determination. And, fortunately, a bloke called Wildblood. Mavericks batted first, compiling a credible but hardly resounding total of 6 for 125. Wickets to Garvey, Cutler, McGregor, King and Saunders. McGregor and Cutler teamed up for a gleeful stumping – a classic leg-spinner’s dismissal!

There was some great fielding - Garvey at fine leg had the batsman out for all money at the bowler’s end with a truly splendid return…but an un-named bowler spilled it and everyone else politely ignored his rank incompetence!

As the innings commenced the Dogs knew the target was one we could easily overhaul. Stone (1) and Goff (15) set a solid foundation on which the mighty Bourne (26) and Wildblood (22) capitalised handsomely. Wildblood's three consecutive sixes were a sight to behold! And with the help of Garvey (25) and King (23 not out) the Mad Dogs took their score to an emphatic 149.

Dogs led by 24 at the break.

In reply the Mavericks started well with both openers retiring. But then the spin twins McGregor and Saunders took a stranglehold on the match, with two wickets apiece including another fine stumping for McGregor! One more batsman got away to 25, but apart from that no other Maverick reached double figures. King slowed the scoring to an absolute crawl in the final overs, also taking two fine wickets smashing through the woodwork!

With only 101 to win it would be fair to say the Mad Dogs returned to the crease a little too complacent.

But then umpire Saunders skilfully sledged Goff - pointing out that he was looking a lot more comfortable than in the first dig – after which Goff holed out for a paltry 5.

Pretty soon JP was back in the Pavilion and things started to look a bit shaky. But then Peter “the Rock” McGregor (22 not out) stabilised the innings and played anchor to a rampaging Wildblood (27), Garvey (16), Saunders (8) and Cutler (4 not out) who brought us home with a wet sail and just 5 balls to spare.

As they say in the classics, a win is a win!