Cricket at Last !

The weather finally relented and Park completed their second game of the season with a resounding win over Dulwich 2nds.

With skipper Gannon actually winning the toss, Park batted first, Christian O'Mahoney and new Beckenham gang member Kenny Robotham doing the honours. The pitch unsurprisingly was a nightmare and with nothing coming onto the bat at all Christian was very quiet. O'Mahoney was eventually out for a frustrated 9, LBW, and Park were 22 for 1. Kenny soon followed for 6 when he was bowled. Park 32 for 2. Craig Partridge and Carl Chamberlain were soon back in the hutch, Carl bowled for a single and Craig for 2. Park were 44 for 4 and really struggling. Dave Brupbacher managed 8 before edging behind and Tim Gannon holing out to cover for 10 left Park in dire straights at 69 for 6. Cometh the hour and cometh the men as Roger Griffiths and Dave Fletcher staged a fantastic recovery, putting together a 91 run partnership. Fletch played really sensibly and ensured he didn't give his wicket away whilst Roger piled on the boundarys in his own inimitable style. When Fletch's 70 minute vigil was over, he had scored 25 and Park were 160 for 7 well beyond the skipper's hopes an hour earlier. Trevor Brupbacher was unlucky to get bowled first ball. Bill Partridge and Paul Moss kept Roger company as he rampaged through the Dulwich attack creaming 4 glorious sixes as he neared a century. Bill was bowled for 7 and as the 40 overs were up Mossy left the field with 1 not out and Roger unbeaten with 93 magnificent runs to his name.

Opening bowlers Paul Moss and Craig Partridge kept the Dulwich batsmen quiet but were unable to take a wicket so Bill Partridge and Dave Fletcher came on to try their luck. Bill was successful almost straight away bowling Wilson and then surprise Dulwich selection PD Amin first ball. The hat-trick ball was successfully defended but Billy was not to be denied his third wicket and when Straker hammered the ball to mid off, Craigy Boy Partridge took the sharp catch nonchalently. Fletch kept up his bowling form taking the wicket of Danners to a great catch at extra cover by Christian O'Mahoney. The Dulwich batsmen never really went for the win and Carl Chamberlain and Tim Gannon bowled the match out, with Carl taking his first club wicket, brilliantly bowling Howdy and Gannon picked up a wicket with Evans edging behind to keeper Brupbacher. Dulwich finished their 40 overs on 103 for 7, a massive 100 runs behind.

Dave Fletcher's excellent 25 runs and Bill Partridge's 3 wickets might have scooped the award on another day but theres really only one person in it, with a match winning knock of 98 not out - ROGER GRIFFITHS