Report by Daniel Mortlock:
After another heroic effort by Andy to get a team together we had a full eleven, at least for most of the day: Dave Clark had generously come by to play in between work shifts, and so could only stay for an innings; and Olly Rex had to go early as well. Hence Andy had no choice but to choose to bowl first when he won the toss, inducing a gasp of surprise from the Burrough Green captain, who'd been expecting to be made to field in the hottest part of the day.
His relief can only have been increased when his top order got off to a pretty solid start - with the score at 80/1 in the 17th over we were staring at yet another 200+ target. But then we finally started taking wickets, Andy Owen (4/35), Olly Rex (2/56) and Tony Malik (1/47 in his first game for Romsey) all getting in on the action. We'd reduced Burrough Green to 141/7 at the end of the 33rd over, and were surely about an even money bet to bowl them out, but in their tail wagged effectively, and they addded 51 runs from the last 7 overs.
Our chase began slowly as ever, our first run not coming 'til the 16th delivery, and then Rod Dennis (12 off 24 balls) was run out backing up, the bowler just getting his fingers to a cracking straight drive. From there on, however, it was Romsey all the way as Olly Rex (81* off 112 balls) and Nick Clarke (88* off 81 balls) put together a superb unbroken 166-run partnership. Olly was fortunate to be dropped several times (Andy said five, but Richard didn't want such untruths about his son being perpetuated and insisted it was actually six), but mostly it was just an exhibition of destructive hitting as they smashed 24 fours and 2 sixes between them. The end result was a victory that was remarkably comfortable - and very, very welcome.