The Badgers continued their impressive start to the season with a hard-fought win over the Thespian Thunderers. Despite staring defeat in the face at several points in the match, a never-say-cull team spirit allowed them to triumph by 18 runs, extending their unbeaten run to an unprecedented two games.
Having lost the toss and been invited to bat, the Badgers looked around to find that one of their openers was yet to appear. The late arrival of Lee, who had been busy not resting and not remembering the scoreboard, meant that Pete Warman strode to the crease in his place. The last time Warman enjoyed a last-minute shift in the batting order was when he was relegated to number 4 so that he would have enough time to clean up Paul Cole’s vomit from his car. Sadly, a promotion up the order ended in similar woe as he was sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
Batting was far from easy on a pitch even dodgier than a Nick Foord barbeque and it took the steady beard of Cloke to get the innings moving. An elegant 48, together with cameos from Shone and Barker allowed the Badgers to totter their way towards a score of 182 all out.
Boasting an impressive batting line-up (or at least a very well-spoken one), the Thespians gave off quite a worrying air of a team who could play quite well, hitting the ball quite straight and striking it quite hard.
However, Allyn ‘partnership breaker’ Blake proved to be a handful once again, taking crucial wickets at crucial times, crucially. Backed up by the rest of the bowling attack, including a typically feisty and combatant Hirst, the Thesps found themselves tied down in the middle overs. Every time they attempted to break out of their run-starved prison, a further wicket fell to the ravenous Badgers.
With 17 required off the final over, Marchant stepped up to deliver the final blow. Four dot balls followed by the last Thespian wicket sealed the win. Even Captain Barker’s decision to dine at the Golden Arches couldn’t sour a wonderful team effort. Roll on game three.