GCC v St Pals - 21 May 2023: Knebworth

A green, grassy wicket misled us: the pitch was true, even bouncy, and the opposition, sent in, made hay. The Chair and Robbie bowled tidily, and Jack was a terrifying prospect at first change, but by the 20 over mark - we were playing 40 aside, at the opposition's request - they were 93-3. Then the wheels fell off. Fingers were bashed, calves pinged and deliveries dispatched. We simply could not restrain the tide. Nearly 100 came from the final 10 overs, Jack's best efforts - he finished with 4-41 from 8 - notwithstanding. We limped off and readied ourselves to chase 260.

It began badly. Dominic, on his return to Gaieties after a 15 year hiatus, was adjudged LBW; Charlie was then bowled. The Judge and skipper dug in, but the required rate continued to climb. After 20 overs, we'd reached 80-2: the skipper insisted it was now a T20 game and the target eminently chasable. Perhaps, but the runs couldn't come fast enough. Then strange things started to happen. Skipper hit a six and, disgusted, another - before being caught on the boundary going for his third, out for 91. Daniel joined Jack and the hitting continued: high and handsome from Jack, drilled low from Daniel. Many balls were lost. With 60 needed from the final five, the chase was on - until it wasn't. Daniel and Chair went in quick succession and despite Som heroically (or madly, according to taste) going out to bat with a damaged finger, we couldn't quite close the gap. Jack's final sixes rang out with glory but also futility.