Report by Quentin Harmer:
The first achievement of the evening was to get a full eleven out at a venue half an hour's drive from Cambridge. That accomplished, it was a perfect summer's evening for cricket. The captains negotiated a curious, maybe unique, set of rules which included retirement at 25 - nothing too unconventional there - but also batters not being able to be out off their first delivery, and every player except the wicket-keeper to bowl two overs. [Although the scoresheet shows Anglian Water violated their own rule here, two of their bowlers returning for an "illegal" third over - ed.]
Remnants batted first and there was much discussion about what shots might be played for one's opening delivery given that it was a risk-free ball. A scoop? A reverse sweep? JP Joubert duly opened his innings with a long stride and a textbook forward defensive prod. JP (26* retired off 19 balls), Lahiru Wijedasa (25* retired off 18 balls), Seb Hammersley (27* retired off 18 balls), James Robinson (25* retired off 27 balls), and Hume Fisher (28* retired off 16 balls) battered their way to retirement without looking troubled. Seb's lofted six to long on was perhaps the highlight of many fine shots on a fast outfield. Debutant Matt Trusler came in at six and scored a breezy 19 not out (off 10 balls), also including a well-struck six. In the penultimate over he was joined by Neil Grover (1* off 4 balls, making his 50th Remnants appearance), and the innings ended on 192/0 with seven not-out batters - a Remnants first - all of whom hence contributed to what is now the club's highest ever partnership.
The highlight of Anglian Water's bowling was provided by their youngest player, aged approximately ten: a left arm wrist-spinner, he deployed a full range of deliveries and an impressive degree of control. His googly left James totally flummoxed, and his spell was comfortably the most economical of his team's nine bowlers.
For Anglian Water's reply, the openers just about kept up with the required rate for the first few overs until the first retirement. Then there were first Remnants wickets for Sasha Vail (2/12) and Lahiru (1/10) and tight spells from Quentin, Seb and Hume. Hume (1/8) took a neat caught and bowled, but wait - it was the batter's first ball . . .
Neil gave a muted appeal for what appeared to be a bye to fine leg. What nobody else including the umpire had noticed was that the batter had kicked his stumps as he set off for the run. The batter walked and James (1/9) had an unexpected wicket.
The ten-year-old wrist-spinner came out to bat and, as most of the Remnants had predicted, demonstrated a fine technique. His innings was progressing nicely when he was called through for a questionable second run. Neil took the throw at the keeper's end and mercilessly destroyed the stumps, to send the crestfallen young man packing. After this body blow, the Anglian innings petered out and they finished on 140/6, to give Remnants a 52 run victory.