It's Otford, it's Flaming June and it's a flaming nuisance when you lose tosses on days like these, but 10-man Brasted's skipper called correctly and invited us to have a bowl. Great. On a plus note we were spared 80-odd overs of Keith umpiring in his underwear when he was loaned to the opposition bringing them up to full strength...number-wise anyway. This was to be a timed match.

Valentine and Woodward opened the bowling and when Val's first delivery was smacked through point for four by J.Wilson it looked like it was going to be a long session...from third man anyway. Wilson looked strong on anything shortish and wide but fortunately was kept off strike by his more eccentric partner, 'The Don' Payne who played and missed/left most similar deliveries then occasionally carting one to the boundary. After 10 overs Invicta had reached 36-0 when Wilson launched Val over long-on for an enormous six and that was enough for Captain Woody, who decided such treatment was meant for slow-bowlers who use less energy in the process and a somewhat perplexed Savory and Boss were pressed into action from the 12th over.

With their first overs going for 11 and 14 respectively a huge total looked to be on the horizon with Savory's fourth ball going for an enormous maximum into the field behind the car-park scattering a few lambs in the process. Luckily Woody kept faith and on 75 Boss broke through, Warner catching Payne in the covers off a long-hop and 2 runs later Wilson launched again, but this time it didn't quite have the same legs on it, Val judging his catch nicely inside the flags, Savory the thankful bowler. From then on Beechwood turned the screws and Boss in particular was bowling beautifully, on his way to a five-wicket haul with Beechwood holding all their catches and Invicta stuttering to 112-6. That brought Makin to the middle and Beechwood perhaps got caught up in the novelty of it all and eased off the gas a little, and although the wicket of Cheese was taken, Invicta got their score up to 158-7 with the latterly introduced Cooksley and the reintroduced Valentine not breaking through and Makin finishing 16*. Still, Beechwood would settle for that having lost the toss and considering the score after 15 overs. A special mention must go to Ian McCrea, playing through the pain-barrier, he kept immaculately, having to stand up to the stumps for all but 13 of Invicta's overs taking a stumping along the way. Well done old chap. Tea.

A target of 159 on an Otford track would seem easily reachable considering our 30/20 exploits from the previous week but today is a new day...  Freeman and Kelly opened for Beechwood against a useful opening attack, each playing themselves in steadily with M.Wilson looking particularly threatening from the far end. The score had reached 38 when after an errant drinks break an assertive looking Kelly was unfortunately bowled off his back pad from change-bowler Copley for 17. This brought Warner to the middle, and looking like his old self was stroking the ball around nicely with Tony anchoring things at the other end. The score had reached 98 when Adrian holed out off Young for 30. 14 overs left, 61 required. Val and Tony in the middle. Couldn't go wrong, could it? Val took over the free-scoring role, Tony still there, nearing 50, Beechwood were cruising. 4 overs left, 145-2, Val racing to 35 when he was breached by the returning danger-man Wilson. Still, enter Hill, no worries, Tony gets 50, 3 overs left, 146-3...and then...Bosh!

In my short time at Beechwood I have been involved in a couple of collapses but this surely has to be one of the most dramatic in their history...in the 18th over Bradley perished to Cheese,148-4 and Robbo is out there with Tony. Over 19...12 balls left, 11 needed, first ball Tony snicks one behind off Wilson...11 off 11 and Savory follows in identical fashion next ball, back in the hutch before Ron had finished spelling his name...enter Woody, 11 off 10 and Beechwood hoping for this pair to shovel them to victory. It wasn't to be though as a tumbling Robbo was run out by a country mile. 1 over remaining, still 11 needed or more crucially 3 Beechwood wickets to stay intact, Beechwood's cruise to victory was coming to a Titanic ending and with 3 balls left Cooksley was bowled by Cheese...just an ailing Macca and a more Victor-esque by the second Boss remaining. The last 3 balls passed without the required boundaries needless to say but more importantly Macca and Woody survived. 149-8 and a victory well and truly tossed away. It obviously hurts not to win games like that but personally, it's games like these that make me want to carry on playing...I hope on reflection at least some of you will think likewise...or maybe this is just an androidic outlook!

Just time then for everybody to lose two layers of skin in the absurdly hot showers...fantasy league having a lot to answer for there...at least the Waggledance at The Bull tasted sumptuous.

Oh, and well played Brasted, even if Makin was just a little too keen in his role!!

Beechwood:
Boss, Cooksley, Freeman, Hill, Kelly, McCrea (w), Robinson, Savory, Valentine, Warner, Woodward (c)