The Gents were able to post the first entry in the 1999 win ledger after an excellent performance, perhaps the best since back to back wins over West XI and New Barbarian Weasels in July 1997. Stuart Snelling’s sensational bowling, fast, hostile and accurate (and well supported by the Patels with the ball, and by improved out-cricket) traumatised the batsmen before crisp, aggressive batting from the top six brought victory with over seventeen overs remaining. The Commander was cock-a-hoop afterwards, holding court in the Maid of Muswell before being driven home to spend a long night celebrating with chum Victor.

The Angries have changed their side over the years but the likes of Bullock, Shannon and Parkinson were well known to the Gents, while Sawyer posted a fifty in this fixture in 1998. Mr Bullock was very impressive company, making Your Match Reporter welcome in return for the Gents minding his mobile phone, on which news of the birth of his first child was expected. The only call to arrive, however, was from a cove called Cheddar, wanting to know the Twelve Angry Men score. That is the nature of these things.

Originally scheduled to start at the time of the Chinese dentist (thank you Mr Buck) it was not until fifteen minutes later, 2.45pm that Snarler tore in after a correct and logical Ashton insertion, dispatching Andy Sawyer fifth ball. The prosperously-trousered Denton, steady in Acton a year before and the Aussie Cossart then embarked on a major partnership of 58, scored in just 15 overs. They gave a couple of hard chances, and dispatched the odd loose ball for four with power and no little style, and ran well between the wickets. In these circumstances, the Gents have been found wanting already this season, so what a pleasure it is to remark upon the improved fielding. One could scarcely believe that this was the same side who had fallen apart seven days before. The low bounce caused a high number of byes yet tireless running and accurate throwing, with people wanting the ball to come to them, compensated for this. Hats off here to Gavin and Rixy who did not put a foot wrong all day and Victor, who bounced back well after shelling a toughie at square-leg.

At 59 for one Masher replaced Sanjay at the Alexandra Palace end with Dhruv, who struck Denton’s back pad third ball, umpire Dave Parkinson raising his finger after a few seconds in the Steve Bucknor style. It was to be a pivotal moment. Encouraged, Snarler charged in to bowl his ninth over, his analysis at that point reading 8-2-26-1. In his next six overs, he would bowl three maidens, concede four runs and take seven wickets. It was scarcely believable, but the sacred scorebook, this match report and the memories of those present will all attest to it for future generations of cricket historians. The awesome spell read;

His dismissals were all similar, batsmen playing back and being beaten by the pace of the ball off the pitch. Fair play to Twelve Angry Men for their gallows humour during these minutes of mayhem, played out between 3.40pm, when Denton departed and the fall of the ninth wicket, Harrington, at 4.19pm, at which point the hosts had lost eight wickets for 21 runs. Played out under lowering skies with a backdrop of Alexandra Palace and Muswell Hill, it was impressive theatre.

Both sides were encouraged by a gritty last stand between Daves Parkinson and Shannon. The one in that three figures has a talismanic quality to a side bowling second and the other in that it proved that there was nothing wrong with the pitch, the final wicket falling due to a mis-timed pull off the persevering Dhruv to mid-wicket Wright. An interesting aspect of the Commander’s early middle-years is a slight increase in intolerance and less suffering gladly of fools or below-par cricket pitches. "This pitch is crap," he blustered as the Headmaster and Jim prepared themselves for five potentially tricky overs batting before tea, "as bad as our shit heap." Lawks, lo and behold then if the Gents did not get off to a perfect start. Jim’s streaky two off the first ball through the slips was not particularly elegant, but a cover-drive for two and pull for four off a full toss in the same over most certainly were. When he then pulled another Parkinson full toss for a superb six over square-leg two overs later, the Gents stood at 20 for nought at the break. No tea was provided due to the late switch from Hampstead Heath, which offers this facility, to Albert Road Rec, which does not. No matter, as the Commander’s latest explanation for the awful fielding the week before was "That fucking tea, which we bloody had to field after." Mate, never use a preposition to end a sentence with. The Rec was pleasant enough, though graffiti and litter-strewn, with a very helpful groundsman. The players huddled together as the temperature dropped, listening to the last knockings of the football season.

After the break, big Mike went berserk, pulling a four to the longest boundary off Shannon’s slower ball and striking two more back over Bullock’s head, nearly maiming umpire Burman, before Jimmy was done for pace, getting a bit of bat, but not quite enough, onto the Cossart in-swinger. Mike departed to an off-break from Torode which kept a bit low, but by then Dhruv was going through the gears, pulling one four and cover-driving Torode for two fours and a breath-taking six over cover-point, the ball hit with minimal elevation and maximum power off his new bat. The bowler then had his revenge, thereby precluding a Dhruv/Masher partnership, with all that that entails, such as mid-pitch cuddles, run outs and explosive debriefings. Sanjay is in awesome form at the moment and he carried the Gents to the brink of victory as Angries rotated their bowlers, desperate for the breakthrough. He miscued off the toe of his bat to depart caught and bowled off a Bullock full–pitch with the winning post in sight, leaving Swiss Tony, essaying a rather elegant on-driven three and Masher to lead the Gents to a thoroughly well-deserved victory. The final runs came off four wides, which were possibly simple byes, but umpire Hughes, being a card-carrying member of the National Union of Wicketkeepers, showed solidarity by signalling the option less damaging to the pride of his comrade, Mr Sawyer.

Twelve Angry Men, unbeaten in their three games this season, had finally met their Waterloo in the shape of a young, fit, six-foot tall fast bowler. The Gents were ecstatic, while their oppo, who have become close pals now, took their temporary misfortune in a self-deprecating and charming manner (from which the Gents could perhaps learn), doubtless plotting revenge in the Surbo return. Mr Bullock happily confirmed that Horace Hibbert is in good health. This was a great day out and improving on it, or even attaining this level again, will be a stiff test.