When the Great Floods of 2022 wipe out our entire fixture list, and Stapleford itself, surviving Phoenix men will look back on the summer of 2018 and remark: boy was it hot at Barrington.
And it was. Needless to say Gareth came second in the coin toss stakes once again and we were soon baking steadily while their openers feasted on roast bowler.
Both were top-class and Alex and Simon did well to make them work hard for their retired not out knocks, which saw the TTP score bounce along at eight an over, sometimes higher.
Their absence made a difference however and we started taking wickets and bringing the rate downwards.
The Fixtures Secretary began it by tempting their number three into snicking a wide one and George and Tim took advantage of the open door that was their mid-innings to remove batsmen without too much damage – George claimed two and Tim three, both bowled excellently. Jeff was unleashed late on and dismissed two more in an equally fine spell; the loss of Matt to a twisted ankle on the boundary did not turn out to be a significant blow.
TTP posted 137-8 in the end.
Dave and Jeff put willow to leather in reply before the former was run out by a superb direct hit. Jeff went on to post another not out score but Ralph was quickly removed and our middle order, up against some accurate bowling, couldn’t prevent the required run-rate from reaching double figures despite some lusty hitting from Simon and George, who clubbed a six into the shrubbery.
TTP
Fred not out 26
Sam retired not out 27
Adam c Garman b J West 3
Jan c A West b Rolls 6
Steve lbw Rolls 17
Andy st Garman b Harrison 6
Nav b Wilson 5
Tim b Harrison 1
Harry b Wilson 10
Jamie b Harrison 1
Paul not out 14
Extras 14
Total: 137-8 off 20 overs
A West 3-0-20-0
Lancaster 3-0-30-0
J West 3-1-15-1
Rolls 4-0-31-2
Harrison 4-0-19-3
Wilson 3-0-17-2
Phoenix
J Wilson retired not out 27
D Garman run out 17
R Minter st Adam b Nav 1
G Everson c? b Sam 10
B Cairnduff b Paul 4
S Lancaster c? b Harry 11
G Rolls c? b Nav 15
T Harrison c? b Nav 3
J West st Adam b Sam 0
A West c? b Sam 0
M Dobson not out 0
Extras 28
Total: 116-9 off 20 overs