August 12th 2000

H.A.C.

H.A.C Ground (City)

Edward Beckwith (Chief)
Alex Paterson
Mike Bond
Mark Benbow
Rick Welsh
Mark Warburg
Tim Wishart
James Pack
Thomas Raune
Oli Moorby
James Ingles

Declaration cricket (20 overs after 6.30)

This was undoubtedly the match of the season. The Chief had been working out fielding positions since July and had assembled a mighty 11 of some of the finest Tuaregs warriors ever seen on a cricket field. They would also look immaculate in their 'Chief Mong' kit (for all your building needs - call now for late summer discounts).

The oppo were determined to beat us, having been dispatched into the desert last year, they had got together a very strong side. They were also undefeated all season, so to loose their record to the Tuaregs would have been humiliating!

The Tuaregs batted first under a blazing sun and the openers (M Bond and the Chief) got off to a solid start before Mike Bond was out with the score on 43. Our premier batsmen came and went but were still able to accumulate useful runs. Our token Ozzie (Rick Welsh) kept the middle order together with a very solid 37. Mark Warburg and Alex Paterson also both hit some lusty blows and with some good hitting from the rest of the tail the Tuaregs were eventually all out for 195! What was going on? We retired to tea to discuss...

During tea the conversation moved from cricket to the importance of having an excellent and trustworthy builder and to the late summer discounts that the Chief Mong (for all your building needs) were offering. We also reflected on our shiny new kit and how well the sponsorship money had been spent.

After tea the Tuaregs embarked on the testing job of bowling out the much-talked about HAC batting line-up. Alex Paterson and the Chief opened the bowling and before the HAC knew what was going on they were in the shit at 45-5!!! The Tuaregs scented victory and immediately started dropping catches. This contrasted with some earlier excellent fielding including a blinder of a catch by Tim Wishart to dispatch their best batsman (off a Paterson full toss!).

Our sponsor would have been proud as the HAC slowly collapsed (bit like one of his garden walls) thanks to some magnificent bowling by the James Ingles and Thom Raune.

Finally with 5 overs of the day left the HAC were all out for 105. An absolutely crushing defeat by 90 runs. They were completely and utterly humiliated. This was the biggest victory margin EVER in Tuareg history, against an undefeated oppo. who were hell bent on thrashing us and confining us to the dustbin of their fixture card. Burn on the campfires...

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