This is officially getting ridiculous. Two weeks ago the Legends squeaked home off the
last ball, last week a hat-trick in the final three deliveries took the home
side to victory and now the match against Newbold Verdon again went right down
to the last. Finger nails might be in short supply but it's never dull on a
Sunday.

Kibworth fired the opening volleys with bat in hand. I choose the naval analogy
carefully as Mick Wilkins with his reduced dental display bore an uncanny
resemblance to a rotund pirate out to plunder runs on a wet wicket.
Unfortunately after a promising start one unseaworthy yahoo sent a full bunger
cannoning (sorry about that one) straight to mid-wicket. Depart Gingerbeard to
the starboard side.

The Kibworth innings hit rocky waters soon after. Two wickets became three and then
four one ball later as Sam Pounds was adjusted LBW. This brought the
unedifying sight of The Bard hurrying to the wicket dressing himself as he
went, it also reaffirmed the notion that there are some things only a wife
should have to see. When promising wicket keeper Kieran Wordsworth departed
soon after the scoreboard showed 67 for 5 one over before drinks.

The recovery was a slow one but it inched Kibworth towards something defendable.
Against a backdrop of a sometimes electric sky a stand of 47 at roughly three
an over steadied the ship and when the Bard's turgid innings finally came to a
conclusion Lee Butler (14*)and Blodge (48*) saw the Legends to 144.
On a slow wicket it might just be enough.

After a first ball sitter hit the deck in the slips the bowling and fielding was tight
although it took a stunning catch from the returning Jatin Lodhia out in the
deep to get the bandwagon rolling. To veterans of the past two games it had the
sniff of another tight finish and they weren't to be disappointed.

With the Man Of The Match title already within his grasp Ben bowled a beautiful spell of
left arm spin (4-19) and with the final over of the game upon us he was called
upon to deliver the final set with eight runs required. This became 2 wanted
off three balls and then with the scores tied and one ball remaining he kept a
cool head to secure a dot ball and that most rare cricketing commodity, a tie.

The weather may have decimated much of the season to date but the Sunday XI seem set to wring every last drop out of what is left. A perfect accompaniment to a cheeky
Lager or two for those who venture up to the club after the roast potatoes have

John Bleby - 23/09/2012