The Gents confirmed that the club will end the 2000 season having won more games than lost for the first time in three seasons. With a new captain, the loss of the club’s best batsman and a significant influx of new blood everyone in the club should take credit for achieving this goal. And there are still eight games to play! There is now the real prospect of the club ending the season having lost only one game. If this is to be achieved one major last hurdle must be overcome. To win the President’s Cup would surely make it vintage!

This win, unlike many this season, was based around tight bowling before batting rather than posting a total to defend. It shows the confidence of the captain in his side that he is willing to allow his team to chase potentially difficult totals, a facet The Gents have not demonstrated well previously. There were significant contributions from Danny on taking his second five-wicket haul to record his best bowling for the club for The Gents and (boringly!) another half century for the boy Wright ("You lucky bastard! I never face bowling like that!"). Mention must also be made of Eddie who is now putting in bowling spells so tight in line and length that he is offering the opposition virtually nothing to cash in on. Well done that man and long may it continue! His contributions in the bar have also not gone unnoticed by this writer!

This game was moved to Beverley Park after SSC and West XI experienced shenanigans of the highest order the previous Sunday in a vain attempt to play a game of cricket in the Finsbury Park area. Three Gents were invited to play for the Beggars in that game and all returned to the fold stating that we as a club should be grateful for the standard of the pitches provided by Kingston Borough Council. It should keep any discussion about potential home venues at the AGM short and sweet. The pitch (and weather) here proved interesting in favouring the bowlers to a degree but not to an extent to make batting anything like impossible. The team that built a decent score and bowled tightly would prove very difficult to beat. With humid conditions overhead and the pitch showing a green tint on the surface Snarler stated he would be bowling first given the chance. He wasn’t and still bowled first!

Another prompt start a little after 2pm allowed a 40 over game to be had. Sunderland have always provided The Gents with tough, honest opponents and are regarded very highly within the club. There was never any danger of taking this fixture at all lightly and Stuart and Eddie bowled a great line from the off, using the sloping pitch to good effect. However, after eight overs Sunderland were steadily placed at 17 for nought and had survived Stuart’s first spell.

Before continuing, commiserations have to go out to Victor. Having driven down from the Midlands for only the second time this season, not fifteen minutes into the game and he is being driven to A&E by Mr Burman for a suspected (and later confirmed) dislocated finger. Shocking luck for the man and we all hope that he will be able to contribute on the pitch for the tour on his home patch. Good on Brooms as well for escorting him to the hospital and Sunderland for supplying a fielder for the remainder of their innings.

The breakthrough came off a wide delivery from Jimmy, Curry chasing and holing out to Sanjay at cover. Three overs later and a stunning catch, one-handed to his left at point, saw Jimmy catch Sephton off Sanjay. The bowling was still tight but the opener was hitting the odd boundary to keep Sunderland heading for a reasonable (if not spectacular) score. With drinks taken at twenty overs and Sunderland at 60 for two both sides were reasonably happy.

Danny then took the ball and maintained his good form of the season by keeping things simple. It was apparent now that if you pitched the ball in the right place you would get some help and, eventually, reward. Daniel did just that, only occasionally trying to bowl too fast and losing a little control, and just rewards he then got. His bowling this year has been excellent and he has the knack of moving it both ways when pitching it in the right area. Through Daniel’s efforts and continued tight bowling from all the other four main bowlers Sunderland were restricted to a meagre total of just 94 from under 37 overs. With only Hardy, the opener, getting in before being beautifully bowled by Eddie "by my worst delivery so far this afternoon" Fitch.

If one area of Gents’ cricket could be improved it is without doubt in the catching in the slips area. A number of half and reasonably good chances went begging in this section of the field during Sunderland’s innings. Rest assured the culprits were made aware of this by the bowler and captain, one and the same (no surprise there!). In fact, it may well go to show that slip catching off a bowler of Stuart’s pace really is an art and we should treat each chance taken as a very good catch. Practice can only help and those in that area certainly had some in this game!

With 95 to win off 40 overs the run rate was never going to be an issue. Sanjay remarked after the game that 40 overs means you never really have to go after the bowling. Sensible cricket will result in a score of 160 plus, a target teams on the circuit will more often than not find difficult to overhaul (The Gents certainly have in the past anyway!).

Snarler quickly announced that he was not going to put his "best batsmen" right at the top and promptly asked Jimmy and Swiss to open the batting! Jimmy saw off the first over cautiously and it turned to Swiss to face the second. First ball rifled through the hands of square-leg. The last ball played on to his wicket. The man really is having a poor run of luck this season and there will be a day when it all clicks. Watch out The Gents in the President’s Cup! (assuming Mr Burman's contract negotiations of improved pay and conditions currently being offered to Swiss for his showing up for The Gents in said competition fail).

Two quick cameos from Heapo and Dimond resulted in The Gents being placed a little precariously at 38 for three after nine overs. However, in the next over Sanjay played two very good drives for four effectively rendering the run rate academic. The only way Sunderland could now win was through bowling The Gents out. What they actually proceeded to do was gift the game. Although bowling some good balls and beating the bat every now and then, too much was either short or not pitched at all. Jimmy benefited greatly from the wayward bowling taking almost all of the strike and just reaching his third fifty of the season with three runs to get.

So The Gents notched up another resounding win for the season. Sunderland, however, looked to really struggle in the field and in discussions over a few ales later confessed they are struggling for new blood. Their admirable policy of only allowing members of the supporters club to play for them means that with the job situation being better in the North-East as against 10-20 years ago, fewer are journeying South to further their careers and are staying up North. Gents hope that Sunderland SC receive a new young influx of players over the next few seasons to stave off any intentions to pack it in as they are top opposition and it would be a shame to lose them from the circuit. Look what new blood has done for The Gents this year!