Battersea Badgers continued their winning start to the season with a nail-biting one-wicket victory against Southbank. Half-centuries from Cornish and Hamblin rocketed the black and white legends towards the opposition total but a flurry of wickets meant that last man Thomas was still required to strap on his pads to seal a thrilling win.

Invited to bat first, Southbank looked dangerous early on until ‘Tasty’ Stew Mcluskey ripped the heart out of their top order. In a crucial passage of play, he cooked up a series of mystery balls, each one different to the one that came before it. Two wickets apiece for Hamblin and Foord also helped to put the brakes on the Southbank innings but further accumulation and some late lusty blows moved their final score to a respectable 217/7.

In reply, the Badgers very quickly found themselves two wickets down, leaving the next batsmen with the job of consolidating and rebuilding. Most players might attempt this by nudging a few singles and generally protecting their stumps. Cornish did this by smashing a load of sixes. When he was finally prised from the crease, he had amassed 74 from 37 balls, including 7 fours and 6 maximums. He also left the field nursing some very hurty testicles, having been struck on the box shortly after the start of his onslaught.

Perhaps it was this diversion of blood supply from brain to bulge that led to the untimely demise of Jinks, run out when called through by his partner for a risky single. This in itself might have escaped comment were it not for the fact the very same fate befell ‘The Cat’ when batting with Cornish’s Antipodean partner in crime, Morse, in the previous game against Southbank. Thankfully Mr Jinks is not one to dwell on his dismissals and he will almost certainly have forgotten this incident by the time they next bat together.

In amongst all this ball-busting and run-outery there was still a game on. Further wickets fell, leaving the Badgers on a very precarious 137/7 and only a fine partnership between Hamblin and Dollimore prevented early Badger showers. With Dollimore nudging and nurdling at one end, Hamblin got his thang on at the other, smashing 52 from 36 deliveries. The score moved on to 202 but two more dismissals meant that Thomas arrived at the crease with 2 runs required for victory, 1 wicket remaining and Dollimore stranded at the other end. Always keen to entertain the crowd, he wafted at his first couple of balls before deciding enough was enough and glancing a stylish two to win the game.

The Badgers scraped home and beers were enjoyed at Clokey’s mystery brewery bar that actually proved to be pretty good.

Saturday 7th May 2016 Southbank Southbank vs Badgers Battersea Badgers

Southbank 217 for 7 (40 overs)

  • Unknown 88 (0)
  • Unknown 34 (0)
  • Unknown 34 (0)
  • Mcluskey 2/18 (4)
  • Foord 2/32 (8)
  • Hamblin 2/35 (8)

Battersea Badgers 218 for 9 (36.4 overs)

  • Cornish 74 (37)
  • Hamblin 52 (36)
  • Jinks 28 (35)
  • Dollimore 28 (40)
  • Unknown 3/53 (8)
  • Unknown 2/59 (7)
Full scorecard
More Recent Articles
  1. Badgers and Australia suffer humiliating losses

    SLIC match report 23rd Feb 2017 — by Martin Cloke
  2. Badgers reclaim South-London Ashes

    KRCSC match report 29th Jan 2017 — by Chris Shone
  3. “I do!” (as long as you let me play cricket tomorrow)

    Itinerants match report 18th Jan 2017 — by Chris Shone
  4. Flooded again

    Faire match report 14th Jan 2017 — by Chris Shone
  5. Chocaholics Anonymous

    Kingstonian match report 13th Jan 2017 — by Robin Mackrell
  6. Spinning is winning

    Wimbledonians match report 11th Jan 2017 — by Josh Lee
  7. Single O Seven

    Seveno match report 10th Jan 2017 — by Josh Lee
  8. You only bat twice

    KRCSC match report 7th Jan 2017 — by Peter Warman
  9. Jan, Bam are all man

    Seveno match report 20th Nov 2016 — by Peter Cade
  10. Foord runs over Hawk

    Hawks match report 26th Aug 2016 — by Peter Cade
  11. Halo? Is it Lee you’re looking for?

    White Sox match report 22nd Aug 2016 — by Chris Shone
  12. Cornish Pasting

    Merton match report 21st Aug 2016 — by Paul Cole
  13. Game of Cricket

    Thespian Thunderers match report 28th Jun 2016 — by Peter Warman
  14. Battered King’s Road no longer at boot camp: they’re at War Man!

    KRCSC match report 27th Jun 2016 — by Chris Shone
  15. Badgers defy belief

    Believers match report 9th Jun 2016 — by Richard Dollimore
  16. Badgers STAGnate

    Thespian Thunderers match report 8th Jun 2016 — by Chris Shone
  17. Never run with an Australian (if your name is Jinks)

    Southbank match report 6th Jun 2016 — by Chris Shone
  18. Very keen to get going

    Hampstead match report 5th Jun 2016 — by Peter Cade
  19. St Badger’s first letter to the Corinthians

    Corinthians match report 9th Oct 2015 — by Martin Cloke
  20. Last Chance Saloon

    Seveno match report 8th Oct 2015 — by Richard Dollimore
Older Articles