A winning view from the scorebox

Fresh from the last over win at WBs, captain Eddy G was hoping for a settled side but this was not to be with no less than 6 changes for all manner of reasons I will not go into here.

The next concern was the weather - very wet over night and a so-so forecast. Wisely a 40 over game was agreed with visiting Bramcote and pleasingly the game was played to a dramatic conclusion in windy, cool conditions.

Your correspondent, due to gardening commitments, only arrived after the tea break (his wife, Jane, having warmed collective cockles with tuna, sweet corn and pasta bake, cheese veg pasta bake, and chilli concarne).

It follows my account of the Bramcote innings is based on detailed questioning with the participants - well, the captain who told me the visitors made a fast start (45-1 off 10) but eventually were pegged back. He was particularly pleased with Viv Parekh (1-15 off 7 overs and "Tricky" Day whose "glass back" (TD's description) held up to take 3-18 including bowling the dangerous Pete Gooden who had already struck 2 6's in a developing knock of 19.

Top scorer was opener Alex Watson with 34.

So we faced a target of 150 on a good track but slow outfield.

When I arrived the signs were not promising at 33-2 in the 10th over and, as I was having a chat with Carl Stahlberger in the pavilion about the fact he won the highest score award in 2012 without knowing about it(!), Maneesh Mishra (good to have him back after his spell at Notts Unity) was run out.

I spent the rest of the innings in the scorebox. A good place to keep warm with scorer Julie having wisely put the heater on. Here one was slightly divorced from the rising excitement although Jane (sharing duies with me completing the Bramcote scorebook) did her best to ramp up the growing anticipation of a close finish.

In truth this was of those run chases that looked likely to fall short as wickets fell regularly to tidy bowling backed by keen fielding, especially after MoM "Tricky" was bowled by Mark Spibey (10-3-24-2) for an increasingly confident 35; 109-7 in the 34th over.

As MT Raza could not get going and fell at 118 (36th over) natural pessimists like me expected the worst.

Four overs to go and 122-8 and the opening bowlers (Rehmann and Gooden), who had tidy looking bowling figures, returned. Oh ye of little faith etc!

Two of the late additions played fearlessly. David Perry ran like grease lightening and Viv P swang from the hip and the control the visitors had on the game slackened.

A loose delivery counted for 5 wides and also 4 byes certainly helped as well.

When Viv creamed Rehmann through extra cover we were nearly there only for his repeat effort to end in his stumps being sent array.

Saj Naheem strode to the crease - took a single: 147-9 with one over left from Gooden.

Helped by a leg stump line the first 2 balls were worked for singles - then a dot ball.

Tension - tension.

Saj then whipped the next delivery to the boundary and celebrations all round. Phew!

On behalf of the skipper thanks to Martin for umpiring, Julie for the scoring and Jane for her teas. Much jollity after the game with the 3rd XI also winning by one wicket and later news filtered through of the 1st XI winning by just 7 runs.

Anyone for a dull comprehensive win?

Full Scorecard: http://ellerslie.play-cricket.com/view_results_details?id=11912669