In 2012, after 44 years of being second best, Manchester City finally rose above Manchester United in the football league. In 2005, England wrestled the Ashes from Australia for the first time since 1987. In 2001, Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon as a wild card, having lost in three previous finals stretching back to 1992. In 2004, Greece won the European Championships after coming into the tournament at odds of 150-1. In 1999, after overcoming testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain, Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France.
Add to this list of unlikely sporting success stories the King’s Road’s victory over the Battersea Badgers.
In a high-scoring game, the King’s Road held their nerve to get one over on their bogey team of the last two years. In a tale of four batsmen, Da Silva and Glover’s knocks proved enough to best the efforts of Badger duo Marchant and Jinks.
On a blazing hot day, the Badgers made a tight start but were unable to make enough inroads into the Road’s batting line-up. Despite a wicket for Hirst that propelled her to joint top of the bowling rankings, there was not enough penetration from the Badgers. With wickets in hand, the Road upped the scoring rate after the drinks interval and pushed on past the 200 barrier. Three sixes in a row from Glover turned the screw and left the Badgers facing a mammoth chase of 245 to win the game.
The Badgers were in no mood to surrender their crown without a fight. Significant contributions from the top order kept the scoreboard ticking along and, with 7 overs to go, the required run-rate stood at a mere seven and a half per over. Child’s play.
However, this tale of gladiatorial prowess does not end happily. Further wickets fell and, when birthday-boy-Barker joined Thorpe at the crease, 24 runs were required from not very many balls. The Badgers finished 8-runs short of their target. The Road celebrated a deserved victory. A new page was written in history’s tales of sporting upsets.