Park saw out the 2000 season with their traditional curtain call at Tugmutton Common against old pals, the Jim Flood Fan Club, sorry, Locksbottom Dinky Doo's. Flouting Prospect Park tradition Skipper Brupacher elected to bat, opening with himself and Dave Fletcher. An unusual bowling attack saw pace from one end and spin from the other. Fletch immediately took a liking to the spinner, hitting him back over his head several times, and scoring a terrific six into the trees. Bru was not quite as comfortable at the other end against Pauls usual accurate bowling, and survived a big shout for LBW that the umpire had to think long and hard about turning down. Bru got going by pushing the singles well, in fact getting the ball sufficiently far into the lush and wet outfield for more than 2 runs was nigh on impossible. Fletch was first to go for 15, well caught in the deep aiming to further punish the Locksbottom spinner (23/1). Bru kept the score ticking over for a couple of overs then fell for 14 whilst looking well set (30/2). Sean Pritchard in at no.3 looked unusually ill at ease, and soon departed for 2 and Park were tottering at 33/3. Old stagers Jim Flood and Alan Horton soon settled the good ship PPCC, Alan finding the industrial lagging stuffed down his jumper no impediment to hitting several crisp off side 4's, whilst Jim was driving the ball nicely. Jim eventually went for a very handy 19 (68/4) bowled by a young Locksbottom bowler mixing up the odd very good 'un amongst several wides. Gannon went in next and added only 6 before toe ending one to cover that should have been over the fence to depart with the score at 81/5. Thommo was next up to join Alan Horton who hit another cracking 4 before falling for 19 and once again Park were wobbling at 88/6. Alan Russell and Thomo started well, looking quite comfortable although the big runs were hard to come by, and saw us past the ton with a good partnership of 17, before Alan chopped onto his stumps for 7, completing his set of virtually every different kind of dismissal in one season, still, he can tell all the Arsenal lads about it next week ! With Park looking to fall well shy of (a constantly revised downwards) respectable total, out strode the Golden Child, Craig Partridge, only to be trapped LBW on the back foot for a golden ! Still, we reassured ourselves, he'll be really fired up for his bowling !! At 107/9 and time running out Thompson and a resurgent Paul Moss set about the Locksbottom bowling with renewed vigour, Mossy hitting a glorious straight six, and Thomo mixing big hitting with sensible strike maintainance, eventually carving out an unbroken partnership of 33, leaving Skip Brupacher well happy with a total of 140, a good 20 runs over expectations.
Park took to the field, quite confident that 140 was a big target in the prevailing conditions but were aware that Locksbottom had several big hitters in their side who would need to be taken care of. Craig and Bill Partridge opened the bowling, with Craig getting faster and faster and causing Gannon plenty of problems behind the stumps with the ball flying at all angles off the drying pitch. Locksbottom were having as much trouble as we did in getting the runs going and Craig soon had the young opener out, the ball clipping the edge of the bat on its way to the stumps. Craig toiled away for a long spell and as is so often the case, for little reward as he proved to be just too fast for any of the batsmen to play shots at. Bill meanwhile was toiling away up the hill and although not beating the outside edge as often as usual, he was hitting the stumps and had two batsmen out bowled as he induced them to drive over the ball (a little hint to young Craig there from the old master ?). Bill finished with fine figures of 23/2 and could have had more if a few streaky shots hadn't found gaps. A double change saw batting sensations Paul Moss and Paul Thompson in tandem. Mossy soon had a breakthrough, inducing big hitter no.1 Robin to edge to first slip maestro Jim flood who pocketed the chance comfortably. Thommo at the other end was turning the ball and bringing the batsmen onto the front foot, and got his reward when he got one to turn a mile the other way and take the skippers off stump. Big hitter no.2 Paul was caught by Bru trying to hit Mossy over his head, a good catch this, hit typically very hard. With big hitter no.3 Neil in (although needing a runner) and standing between Park and the Locksbottom tail, Alan Russell was brought into the attack (having had Neil out on several previous occasions). However it was a run out that was to claim Neil as young Craig hit the stumps brilliantly from the covers, you just cant keep him out of the game ! Alan was to get his wicket also, clean bowling a Locksbottom player who didnt know where the next one was going (as neither did the keeper). With 8 wickets down, Locksbottom sensibly shut up shop, and the Skipper brought on Craig for a final two over burst in an attempt to terrify the opposition into submission in the failing light. As usual, Craig bowled like a demon, (the wicket keepers middle finger is still strapped up to prove it), but to no avail, Locksbottom holding out for an honourable draw at 80/8.
A tricky one as it was very much a team performance, but the decision goes to Paul Thompson, who's knock of 34 not out kept us in the game and gave the bowlers a decent total to aim at (also a good wicket and terrific attempt at a catch).