Penn Street vs Chalfont St Peter

Chalfont St Peter 131-9 (C. Fletcher 3-13, N. Loftus 3-21) beaten by Penn Street 132-1 (P. Jupp 60, M. Reavey 49*) by 9 wickets

A solid enough fielding performance during which Chalfont St Peter contributed substantially to their own downfall, setup a fairly comfortable run-chase opportunity for Penn Street to take.

Despite pleas of "slow down and give us a chance!", from an entertaining character batting in a style best described as 'Brian Blessed with Tourette's', Damo and Nick ran in with purpose to rip through the top order and reduce Chalfont to 54 for 5, Nick picking up 3 in the process. Grant Henry should be commended for holding his nerve well to hold a catch the ball after having dropped one that appeared to re-enter the earth's atmosphere with breathing apparatus!! Fuming with himself for not holding onto the ball, Grant seemed oblivious to how close he'd actually been to serious injury!!

Skipper Fletch then grabbed the reins and picked up 3 wickets of his own as the game looked like being over before tea!! If most players believed this to be the case, no-one told Brown, curiously placed at 9 for Chalfont, who expertly guided his tail through their 40 overs (a feat that looked impossible at one stage) to a respectable 131, and a score that gave his bowlers a more than fair chance of defending.

Had we let it slip? Was this to be a defeat snatched from the jaws of victory, if ever there was one?

Not likely!! Juppy and Matt comfortably ate away at the total, building momentum as Juppy opened up with some trademark lofted straight drives until he eventually fell for a superb 60 with victory very nearly secured. The first wicket had produced 111 (had Nelson claimed another?!!) and that simply left the chairman to arrive at the crease, show his best poker face to the chirping close fielders, and guide us to victory with Matt, who ended up not out - one short of a fifty.

Penn Street finished on 132 for 1 to secure that rarest of things - a comfortable win!!

Notable performances:

• C. FLETCHER 3 FOR 13
• N. LOFTUS - 3 FOR 21
• P.JUPP - 60
• M.REAVEY - 49*