A sweltering day in Battersea Park saw the eponymous Badgers assemble for the annual family day this past Saturday. Friends and family gathered in their dozen to behold what might be likened to watching a 3D printer work in reverse. A gradual dismantling of a 10 man Plastics CC as the Badgers put on a professional display for a dominant 9 wicket victory.
5 of those came from newlywed Matt Adams whose understated off spin ripped through the Plastics middle order to deliver him a maiden 5fer which he described as the biggest personal moment this Summer. The top order were shared among the opening Claridge/Allwood axis. Hash was unlucky to miss out due to a few heat induced misfields, while Peach and Larsson cleaned up the tail with the Plastics posting 164 in 28 overs.
A stacked batting order sat and enjoyed the weather from the sidelines as Robin and Matt Collins opted to tick off the total themselves. A dogged Collins batted for wife and baby on the boundary, seeing out the whole innings for 24*. Meanwhile Robin channeled his 90s rap alter ego, Sir Hits-a-lot and gave the Badgers a scintillating performance of 1992 classic, "Badgers Got Mack". Umpires reported that as Robin was winding up to dispatch boundary after boundary he'd sing to himself under his helmet, "I like big bats and I cannot lie, my other Badgers can't deny, when a man runs in with a little bit of pace, and puts a red ball on a length it gets sprung" over deep point for six. And so it went, the song on repeat for 18 overs. With the 10 wicket win in sight and 1 shot away from a 100, Robin expertly evaded jug duties by holing out for 97, which provided just enough time for strike batsman Steve Thomas to hit 8 from 3 balls and bring home the victory for The Badgers. We then spent 2 hours slip catching, cans in hand, for the pure joy of it - before piling into a local pub to really milk the victory while the evening melted away.