Already 2-0 up in the tri-series Oddballs were keen to whitewash their hosts. Chewy, skipper for the day, saw a very wet pitch and challenging outfield and confidently stated “70 could win this, 90 is our target” – There would certainly only be one-bounce fours with the outfield as it was.

The Nest won the toss and chose to field, presumably because of the conditions and not knowing what a good score would be – The advantage was that Oddballs would have the best of the very poor light.

Chewy decided to load his middle order with Ridgway, Parsons and Tookey at 5, 6 and 7; this meant a top four Of Downer, Passman, Ingram and Underhill.

Oddballs found themselves one down without a run on the board as Passman called a suicidal single to fine leg who hit the stumps with a direct hit to see Al run-out without facing. In came Ingram who scored three runs before playing on to his stumps off the bowling of Charrington – Oddballs 5/2.

Underhill came in and smashed his first ball for four to midwicket and repeated it two balls later to inject some impetus. At this point umpiring skipper Chewy found out that Parse was in his front room eating dinner (in Plymouth) and that Oddballs would be playing with ten men.

Downer then gave his wicket away for a duck as he was caught off Charrington, Oddballs 11-3 and in need of rescuing – enter Chris Ridgway. Tidgers showed great patience as he fended off the good ball son the difficult wicket, indeed he scored just one run from his first seven balls until he creamed a six to long on. Hemmings was batting with him as Chewy looked to steady the ship and Justin did a job as he helped Ridgway see off two decent bowler. Hemmings was eventually bowled by Chambers for 7 runs off 17 balls which was just what was needed at the time.

With nine overs left Nath joined the party; after an introverted start he began to smash it around. He hit a four followed by three consecutive sixes, all to long-on, before he was bowled for 25 by Chambers. Nath’s onslaught took Oddballs to their target of ninety with five overs to spare so it was incumbent on them to put the game out of the reach of the Nest.

Ridgway finally perished for a superb 34 as he was c&b off Charrington. Tookey however hit two big sixes on his way to 20 runs. Chewy (4 not out) and Janner (1) got Oddballs through to the final over but Oddballs could not bat their full allocation (Maybe because we were one short, eh Parse?!?). However, a total of 122 all out looked very competitive in the conditions.

As the sky grew even darker Oddballs took to the field. Chewy opened the bowling with the plan to restrict runs on a wicket which should have favoured his filth. The plan worked as Chewy grabbed two wickets – An lbw and a sharp stumping to finish 2-9. At the other end Alex Passman finally became bowlable again as he bowled the opener to finish 1-12 from four overs. This frugal (© FM) start meant the Nest needed Over a hundred runs from their last twelve overs – A total they never really got close to.

Next on were Morton and Underhill. Both bowled superbly and went for just ten runs each; Janner got a wicket as a top edge went to Chewy at cover whereas Underhill had one victim bowled and another caught.

Tookey and the Worm bowled the death, each grabbing a wicket and enjoying their spells. Elephants Nest finished 73-8 to give oddballs victory by 49 runs.