September 2nd 2001

Godfry-Evans XI

Warnglid, Sussex

Ed Beckwith (The Chief)
Alex Paterson
Rob White
Mike Bond
Thom Ruane
Woody Ruane
Matt Ruane
Tom Cape
James Inglis
Charlie Brinton
Aiden Cooney

35 overs each

The loyal warriors met for the last match in this epic season - He is the master of plaster and the brains on drains.

There was an outside chance we might win and thus secure an UNDEFEATED season for the first time in our 8-year history. Could it be possible that standing on the threshold of greatness we would fall into the abyss of adequacy? Surely the cricket gods would not allow this to farce to be fulfilled?

We began our 35 over match in true Tuareg fashion and were 58-6 after 25 overs! We only had 10 overs left to try and score a respectable total. We were yet again in the familiar position of trying to avoid humiliation and the recurring embarrassment of not being asked to play the following year.

However if anything has typified the Tuaregs this season it has been our resilience and backbone. From nowhere the tail produced 80 odd runs finishing on 139. Excellent batting from Tom Cape, Brinty and Aiden Cooney (26 off 15 balls) avoided our classic chums, failure and deficiency.

The oppo. left the field looking rather crest fallen, our chance had come!

At 56-1 after ten overs the Tuaregs were a little quieter. Our measly total looked more and more paltry as runs oozed from the Godfrey batsmen. But then a breakthrough. Thom Ruane bowling his imitation of off spin suddenly took two wickets and we were amongst them.

What followed was a fight back that our noble namesakes would have been proud. A brilliant run-out, some great catches and ever-present banter ground them down until at 6.16 bowled out for 103 the curtain came down on the finest moment in the history of the Tuaregs.

Undefeated over one year the Tauregs marched triumphantly from the field. A truly magnificent effort and one that should have any new sponsors grappling to get a slice of our glorious brilliance.

Well done to all for the great effort. Thom Ruane 4-17 off 8 overs and Lord Whites top score (for both teams) of 28 were undoubted match winners.

Another incredulous victory under great pressure. Oppo. routed and their women taken.

Rob White, despite his dazzling innings, managed to run two people out with his rather podgy and lardy running between the wickets.

One of his victims was a very unamused chief who had only managed 1 off 2 balls. Rob merly hunched his considerable shoulders and returned to the crease, no doubt thinking of the pies that awaited him at tea.