Watford Whittled Wickedly!

Written by Tony Hammatt

'It's great to see youngsters out playing cricket on a weekend, rather than going to the cinema. Luckily today, they got to do both.'
- Bob Chandler.

Set in Watford with an open cinema blaring out in the backdrop, the pre-match thinking before the game was that Watford 3s, having topped the 200s a couple of times this season, could be a tough nut to crack.

When they batted first, and in the blink of an eye, found themselves in shock at 3 - 3, we began to revise that opinion. Maybe like the nut on top of your Walnut Whip. Pin sharp, the 'Bipshul' parthership were soon, very soon, amongst the wickets, and seemingly looking to rush back down the A41. Off Ashul's bowling, Aman snaffled an opener. Nikeal brought the pre-match practise into the real thing, clutching the cherry out of the air at point.

Then, Watford's number 4 was halfway back to the pavilion - o.k., then, an oak tree - when he was called back, chuntering, to his mark. He dug in, after a fashion, and gathered a dozen hard won runs. But, then, knocking away a fast delivery from Aman, and making a run for it, he only succeeded in finding him backing up. Now, many years ago, I used to fancy my moves in a nearby nightclub, but I never saw this ; in the blink of an eye, a pick up, a turn, a throw and a topple - of the stumps. Hutchison was back in the, er, hutch.

Ashul continued dismissing, ending an eight over spell with a fifer-fifteen. And the show wasn't over. With wickets falling quicker then the acorns from the aforementioned oak, Skip decided to get in on the fielding act. Running back towards the boundary, never easy, he brought down the curtain on the Watford batting with a lovely take in the deep, off the economical Ronak ; 54 the victory target.

Jus-Karun and Kam took the field. JK wasted no time declaring his intentions, glancing and hitting for 25 off just 32 balls, before a stumping. Nik, promoted high and catching the carefree mood of the team and the afternoon, had joined him, and grabbed an entertaining and equally rapid 17. The finishing number soon in sight, all that was left was for JP to arrive to deliver a breathless victory with one of his solid trademark boundaries.

Another emphatic victory which, in any normal season, would see us treading a pathway to promotion.

Thanks, as ever, to Bob, for umpiring of distinction.