Sporting Chance

It was always going to happen. The Roving Reporter , for so long the Wordsmith of Fleckney Sabbaths, was taken into other fields. An appointment in the world of theatre overlapped with this which meant BAFTA met Benaud , Cast met Cricket and Oscar met Oh my goodness stop this preamble and get on with the match report.

Shepshed were unable to fulfil the fixture so Electricty Sport filled the gap. Well, due to late pull outs they came with 9 men so they borrowed 2 of Fleckneys to make a game of it, and what a game it was. Played by two teams who were a credit to the game itself.

By the time the Reporter had landed Sports were 30 odd for 1. Mole and Scoot had had their spell and Seth was absolutely ragging it on a pitch that certainly rewarded it. We are not sure if the skipper managed to get it off the straight but the lack of 21 gun salute coming from Beardy HQ suggested normal service won out.

Sports finished their 35 overs on 206, 50 came from Manu who had absorbed a friendly verbal barrage for his usual teammates. Seth had thrown down a one stumper with an arm bordering the type of cannon that would have fired if the skipper had spun one. Rajeev took 2 wickets in two balls and then saw a run out in the same over. The wicket was good but the score was not beyond a confident home side.

The Fleckney reply was a real squeaker. Mandeep and Dunkers got things off to a good start, Seth added another innings to his ' Making The Old Farts Look Bad' compendium but the run rate hovered around 5 an over.

Ollie took a whack on the shoulder and then was carried from the field when he possibly pinged his hammy. Give him a few years and being carried home might be a regular occurance, possibly from the Golden Shield End though.

Sports brought a young side and their bowling had quality about it. However with the home side wanting only 4 from the last over it was surely advantage Fleckney.

1st ball Rajeev was bowled but he had played beautifully. In goes the skipper and the vice skipper was padded up but looking like he would pay decent money not to swing the bat in anger.

2nd ball. Skipper on strike. Big swing, no connect. 4 needed from 4

3rd ball. If you didn't see ball 2 it was an action reply. 4 from 3 and skipper accused of playing a Test Match on WhatsApp

4th ball. Sports were protecting the singles but any ball past the circle was a boundary. They need not have worried. Dot ball

5th ball. Brown trousers time. Scooter didn't connect but Mole, who, had batted beautifully, had seen enough and scampered a leg bye.

6th ball. 3 for a win, 2 for a tie. Mole on strike....bowler again bowls a decent delivery. Mole swings and ...bugger! Fleckney lost by 2.

Up the road in Sutton Bonnington the development XI had won a squeaker, at Fleckney the older generation swung their pants like Trevor and Simon ( kids ask your dads) but didn't quite connect. Well the skipper has swung but that's another matter.

Thanks to our stand in opponents . Rematches were mooted, all we need is lowered order bats not sponsored by polo....