A warm summer's evening, a sizeable crowd and a thoroughly entertaining game - what more can you ask for at the end of a working week!

Although it was commented that the North Middx side did not contain any genuine U17 age group players, a quick look around the home side found only Alex Callan and Hannah Sayers at that age group and only 3 further players at the U16 age range - the side being bolstered by a large section of the U15 team that had played the previous evening.

North Middx batted first and struggled early on to make much headway in response to some accurate bowling. Skipper Matt Shore was particularly impressive taking 1 for 13 from his 4 overs, although Alex, Hannah and Joe Barker all bowled well up front. For once though the lethal weapon of Sam Barker came unstuck as he bowled easily his worst spell of the season so far, giving up 41 runs in just 3 overs, with too many full tosses and no balls.

The North Middx batsmen gained in confidence and runs started to flow off all of the bowlers and eventually a daunting 151 for 4 was posted. Special mention to Sam for one bit of fielding in front of the pavilion - his dive and clatter into the boundary boards saving 2 runs and earning a quip from this writer to tuck his shirt in!

In reply a steady start was made by Ian Cooper and Adam Blaby before Adam played one expansive shot too many to a short ball to hole out at mid off for 8. This brought in so far out of form Matt Shore. He and Ian showed their true class by playing consistently text book cricket shots to maintain a decent scoring rate. With 90 required off the last 10 overs they seemed to regularly find the one or two boundaries per over required to make sure that the run rate stayed at no more than 9 runs per over.

It was fitting that they reached their half centuries off successive balls - a single by Ian followed by a 2 from Matt. Each over kept bringing the runs so that finally just 6 were required from the last over. Typically in these situations there was further drama to be had:

Off the first ball Ian played another lovely shot but this time picked out the long off fielder to be out for 64. The batsmen crossed to avoid Sam having to bat in the descending gloom. The next 2 balls saw scampered 2s but the next 2 deliveries (both short) were played and missed by Matt. 2 needed to win from the last ball......the ball hit the bad and the batsmen quickly dashed through for a leg bye to leave the final total on 151 for 2.

But who had won? Whilst everyone cordially exchanged handshakes it was left to Chris Edwards to find the handbook and confirm that in the result of the score finishing level, the side losing fewer wickets was the winner. It's an old cliche - but cricket was the real winner!