The Gents gloriously regained the Bob Ashton Memorial Trophy with a narrow win on a day of dramatic cricket. Chasing a good but not insuperable total with a side packed with batters, West XI fell behind in the run chase. Games like this are so tight that it would be wrong to ascribe victory or defeat to one incident but several observers felt that the Gents had the rub of the green. These observers cited Cammy Fleming’s late withdrawal (gamely though their young reserve fielder tried) and the Dallas lbw decision. Some were also surprised at Mr Hill’s decision to field first on a hot day. However, the Gents did field a better-balanced side and were themselves victims of cruel misfortune when Dan Todd’s first ball to Mr Hill went through the stumps without dislodging a bail.

The day began dramatically. After Phil beat Jim with every ball in the first over, Chris Wright bowled three long-hops outside leg-stump, Bodders pulling three easy boundaries. Phil then put the out-of-touch Jim out of his misery, bowling him off his legs, before a hyped-up Dhruv picked out the long-off specially placed back for him with an underhit drive off a full-toss. Bodders and Sanjay sailed merrily on with the southpaw looking in no trouble at all until the introduction of the pacy but erratic Chris Reeves. He overstepped seven times but produced stunning deliveries to castle both batsmen, following up with Tony Buck, simply caught and bowled. Phil had decided to hold back his two fastest bowlers until mid-innings. This tactic looked a success when drinks were taken at 84 for five, but only 19 overs had gone, with Masher looking secure. In several recent games, the Gents’ tail had batted with real grit. What a pleasure it is to be able to report more of the same here. Toddy got in line and gave his captain good support as the hundred came up before he fell to a stunning catch, low to slip Bignell’s left. He clung on one-handed to applause from both sides.

Hill gave his pacemen a rest and therefore had to call on the support bowling. Bignell and Allerton caused a few plays and misses, and Ashton might have been stumped, but boundaries aplenty came until the latest of Masher’s run outs. Snarler pushed the ball to Taylor on the covers, who misfielded. He called for a single, was sent back by an immobile Masher and run out by a couple of yards. Naish, Victor and Burman might once have been skittled in a few balls, but not this time, the last three wickets adding 31 vital runs. Ashton was brilliant, striking six fours, five to the short boundary. Bignell took further catches to dismiss Naish and Victor, the latter off his own bowling, before Masher top-edged a pull off the last ball of the 34^th over. The last five wickets had added 82 runs. There were a few fielding blips, and some mild umpire abuse from Dallas and Mattimoe, but West XI had persevered well in draining, dry heat. For the Gents, Masher, Bodders and Sanjay were pure class and Batsmen 6 to 11 can be proud of their contribution. The tactic of pushing the ball to the young substitute fielder and running two or three every time was justified in the circumstances, but the poor lad did seem rather exposed trying to cover the short boundary on his jack.

"If we bowl straight, we’ll win the game" opined Masher at half-time. He opined on other things too, and Snarler proposed to come on later in the innings, as Biggers was going to open the innings to "try to block me out." This tactic worked like a dream, though the ageless novelist/cricketer delayed his entrance until three. By then, the Gents were on the back foot thanks to a dynamic opening stand between Snarler’s First Ball victims of 1998 and 1999 which kept West XI well up with the rate. Bodders and Sanjay were slightly below par, though each would recover in his second spell. The 4.8 per over needed had flickered upwards to only 4.9, thanks to powerful hitting from Mattimoe (six fours, including a humdinger of a lofted off-drive off Bodders) and good running and calling from Dallas, when tea was taken after twelve overs. It was good that it was, for both Snarler and Dhruv, who were to bowl in tandem, wanted the same end, Mr Patel very publicly showing his displeasure. Mr Ashton, at Mr Snelling’s request, convened a locked-doors team meeting, missing only Swiss Tony, following his Open Championship bet with much interest. "What was said?" he asked pal Mr Naish as play reconvened. "Nothing," replied Mr Naish. The dialogue between these two is sometimes worthy of Samuel Beckett. What was in fact said was along the lines of only one captain, support each other, bowl properly, etc. all delivered in a soft voice which suggests that the Commander has Been On A Course.

It did the trick, though, as the Gents emerged transformed. They still made mistakes in the field, but none was to prove crucial. In fourteen overs of extreme pace from Snelling and subtle spin from Dhruv, only 52 runs came. This had the crucial effect of seeing the required run rate step up towards seven an over by the time they were bowled through. The best way of restricting a team is of course to take wickets and both bowlers were triumphant. Dallas fell lbw courtesy of umpire Robinson. It looked harsh, but Andy has always struck the Gents as a competent umpire and could only give it as he saw it. Steve Bignell was then sensationally dismissed second ball, middle-stump knocked back. The 14^th, 15^th and 16^th overs swung the game towards the Gents as Dhruv bowled Mattimoe with his faster ball and the black-shorted Reeves (one of several Beggar Fashion Errors, with Taylor and Dallas both playing in shorts) was undone by brutal pace to lose his off-stump. Seale and Wright were therefore left with a repair job of some magnitude. Clyde has historically been exposed against Dhruv’s spinners and although he buckled down and did not look like losing his wicket, he could not force the pace. After his first over had gone for nine, Dhruv’s last six cost only 26. Spinners need long spells to get into the groove. Snarler meanwhile is producing perhaps the best bowling of his Gents’ career. He might have had Wright a couple of overs earlier, Colin dropping a low chance, but finally undid him in his sixth over, the innings’ 22^nd, Wright sweeping over the slower ball to give him four for 16, his best figures against West XI. Sadly for him, however, he could not break a bail to go with the one he demolished a week before when bowling Mr Hadfield. Clyde was secure and Andy Robinson is no slouch with the bat, but it was difficult to fathom their tactics as Andy played out a maiden, Toddy’s first over.

Sometimes Toddy can be a frustrating cricketer but on his good days he is formidable. Here he produced a good, sensible innings, out-fielding second only to the inspirational Sanjay and now an accurate spell of medium-pace bowling to secure victory. Both batsmen played and missed, or ran the odd single or occasionally two, but by this stage they really needed boundaries. Andy got frustrated and lofted Sanjay into mid-off Victor’s safe hands. He had hardly touched the ball all innings, yet here he was catching like an Aussie. When Stewart Taylor walked on edging to Colin the job was nearly done. By this time Your Match Reporter had been posted out near the long Gunnersbury Avenue boundary (sadly to form part of a three man throwing convoy), where a local slapper was soaking up some rays with jugs clearly visible through a black see through top, which was a little distracting.

Captain Hill and Clyde were left with too much to do. Though they have won run chases from similar positions before, 46 runs in four overs was too demanding this time. The Gents just needed to keep their heads and this they did, to win by 16 runs. Their bowling strength in depth had proved crucial. It was a little disappointing that the cup had not been brought along. At least the Gents got that right when they lost the corresponding 1998 game. One Beggar said that it was because they felt certain to win. Before any Gents get on their high horse, it should be pointed out that the man in question is famous for his wind-ups. Nevertheless, something is lost in presenting a cup after it has actually been won. Where would the F.A. Cup winners prefer to receive their trophy? On the steps at Wembley at five to five on a May Saturday with players, supporters and royalty present, or at a private black-tie dinner weeks later? Come on, West XI, sort it out, you know it makes sense.

Did Mr Dallas’s dismissal and the subsequent tumble of wickets knock the stuffing out of West XI a bit, or were they just plain knackered out after fielding in that heat for nearly 35 overs? Probably a bit of both. Still, the fact remains that the Gents did not allow West XI to play any better. The Lord Nelson saw an introspective West XI mull over their defeat and argue about tactics. The Gents partied big time. Having tasted defeat in this series in 1998, how good it feels to win this glorious trophy back again.