Boughton CC (22/5/2016)

Result: Weekenders won by 114 runs

WCC 197 for 5 (37 overs)

Lee 14, Brockis 56, Shanal 1, McDonald 33, Cooper 85, Marshall 0, Shimoga 4, 

DNB - Orwell, Douglas, Dibley, d'Inverno

Corbin 4-45

Boughton 83 all out (22.2 overs)

Steele 36

Douglas 5.2-1-9-1, Orwell 5-3-5-4 Dibley 5-3-22-4, Shanal 4-1-4-0, Shimoga 3-0-40-0

Catches: 2 for Marshall, Brockis, Dibley.

Run out: d'Inverno (direct hit from the boundary)

Debut: Shanal

The upturned-saucer cricket ground nestled within the walls of stately Mount Ephraim House has been the scene of wildly differing fortunes for the Weekenders in recent years with three wins, three losses and a tie in the last decade. A strong XI drove up the tranquil but damp meadow approach this year, including Hornsey’s overseas pro; Shanal, fresh from the Australian grade cricket system. Toss won, captain d'Inverno elected to bat, with Lee and Brockis starting brightly - Shanal found the going slower (and probably much stranger?) than he was used to at number 3 (shurely No.5? Ed.), but it was Sparkles and McDonald who truly put the Boughton bowlers to the sword. Cooper, like a Remain minister dealing with Article 50, repeatedly thumped the ball off the plateau where several knackers, and possibly fielders, were forever lost in the long grass.

Only one bowler stood up to the ‘Enders brutal assault. In an extraordinary piece of political symbolism, the improbably-named G.Corbin repeatedly lobbed up easy-pickings until a total of five Weekenders had perished trying to pummel him out of the attack. On this damp pitch, 197 from 37 overs seemed a very decent target, so Boughton started watchfully. However Pete Lee, stationed at silly mid-wicket, started the opposition’s mental disintegration. With intelligent use of the facilities by the ‘Ender’s pace trio, the good ship Boughton was listing badly at 26-8. A brief fightback from Boughton’s Steele threatened to make things interesting again, but captain d’Inverno's pin-point hurl from the edge of the dome clattered the stumps and snuffed out the insurrection.

Champagne moments included a stunning catch in the gulley from Marshall and a direct hit form the boundary by skipper d’Inverno’s bullet like arm.

Beforehand, an excellent lunch was had at the Lobster Shack in Whitstable with Skipper leading the charge in all things Sauvignon Blanc and mollusc.