With watchful eyes turned skywards, the eagerly anticipated Sloths Dads match began under grey skies, on a covered and excellently prepared wicket.

The Dads fielding a full team won the toss and took the field, many coaxing the memories of bowling back into limbs and muscles that had not rotated in many summers.

Dads captain Harding and Batsman Barnes took the new ball whilst Sloths Stump and Kestrel scratched out their guards. Finding the pitch very responsive to village medium fast bowling Stump and Kes battled through the first 4 overs scoring just 15.

Debutant Dibley and returning Dad Maloney continued to make scoring runs hard work for Stump and Kestrel, 8 overs gone and only 47 scored. With massed ranks of The Sloths gathered on boundary egging on the batsmen, Stump started to find his form with the bat retiring in the 9th over.

With runs hard still hard to find Debutant Mills and return Dad Edwards set about the sloth batting, first victim was Kestrel, looking to press on, a vicious straight drive was bravely parried by bowler Edwards giving Harding an easy catch at mid on. Haith then followed as Edwards deceived him with some flight and guile.

Sloth Debutant ‘Mad Jock’ Harrison strode to the crease (cricket debut at 55) ready to take on all comers, well coached by Bond and umpire Stump, Harrison edged and scampered to a respectable 7 before being bowled.

The Dads bowling continued to thwart the Sloths scoring, Bond sliced and cut his way to 15, Franks tried to push the rate but fell to a sharp stumping for 7 and Harper succumbed to more magic from Edwards. Notley was last man out for 3. Edwards finished with 5 wickets, Dibley and Mills with 1 each. 103 the target set thanks to a decent bowling effort and committed fielding.

Starting the chase the Dads sent out Gordon and Boreham, Gordon looking to erase the duck of his previous outing and Boreham on Dads debut.

The Kestrel opened up and a watchful few balls from Boreham was followed by a first ball boundary from Gordon, and thus the tone of the chase was set. Kestrel and Yerbury struggles to contain the watchful Boreham and free hitting Gordon. 4 overs completed and the Dads were ahead of the rate (20 from 4).

Bond and Harper took overs 4-8 and Boreham and Gordon took on the short boundary and found it 9 times in 4 overs. Gordon raced to 33 before retiring, Boreham quickly reached 25 and fell to a sharp chance snaffled by Stump of the bowing of Harper.

Despite both openers departing the Dads had raced to 66-1 by the end of the 8th. Stump then turned to full all rounder by taking the bowing and if we are being honest, his game took a downward turn, ultimately conceding 20 runs off his 2.4 overs and a howler of an over through affording Maloney 5 runs and severely denting bowler Franks’ numbers.

The Dads batsmen Davis and Barnes tried to keep up the blistering run rate, Davis bowled by nelson for 4 and a trophy wicket for Franks as he was able to deceive Barnes with flight.

Maloney and Lewis took up the batting and dealing mostly in boundaries (and the odd over throw for 5), raced the score towards the victory target, Maloney (15no) and Lewis (14no) saw the Dads over the line in 12.4 overs and in doing so sealed a rumoured second only victory in this most keenly awaited contest.

When all was done the doombars were downed, drowning the sorrows of defeat and growing the satisfaction of victory. A good game played in the right sprit. Till next Summer……..

P.T.F.E sloth, heating corespondent, slothful times.