Pacific finally picked up their first win against Phoenix AKA Newham at the 7th attempt led by Sammy Purcell's unbeaten 50 as he continues his successful comeback from his broken ankle.

This added to the further joy of Pacific's 1st divisional win in 3 seasons & marking this season as the most successful since 2004 if you can call 7th from 7 in the top division successful.

And so with a loss already to the Phoenix under their belts, the ruthless machine that is Pacific set about exacting revenge. An inspiring and tear-jerking pre-match team-talk by ever-theatrical and whingeing Skipper Chandler led Pacific to take to the field in their mighty whites with bat under arm due to another good tossing by the Pacific Skipper.  

Purcell, or should we say Persil, knocked-up a clean hitting and ever crisp 50* to set the merry-group of no-hopers on their way on a galloping run-rate. Nice for the fella who would have Skippered had Chandler not oiled the slopes of Verbiers and enforced a broken ankle on Persil. Webley was fortunate to be graced by Persil, and he in turn dispatched the bowling to all parts on his way to 41 quicker than you can say DHL.   

However, one gracious carve too many brought Conrad 'Goose' Chandler to the crease and more importantly Webley back to the field to Umpire. Chandler, next in at three, had already complained about seeing a black cat cross his path as he passed under a ladder on the way to the ground. However, this was only after he had found a new hat on his bed having lost his wedding-ring down the bathroom drain whilst seeing a single magpie in the garden. In a partnership of near 40 with Persil, Goose looked his usual Tiger Woods self as he looked continuously at a small picture of his daughter knowing deep-down that somewhere around the corner a MIG was going to shoot him down. Little did he know that the MIG was umpiring at the other end. With a glint of the sun, and a show of the gun, Ali whispered an appeal and lo and behold Goose's life flashed before his eyes and one 360 too many had brought about his downfall and he fell shot down in flames by the MIG, or should we say Maverick, umpiring. For a full re-enactment please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urHZ_OB-ov8&search=top%20gun

  Upon the full quotation of every swear word in the book, brought new man Al Pritchard to the crease who showed real class along with the pulling and pushing Aroon to ease Pacific into a healthy total of 181 for the loss of only 2 wickets.

  With the ball now 16 overs old, and being conducive to swing, the expert opening partnership of Smith and Chandler ensued against the Phoenix opening victims. Chandler expertly bowled quite unbelievable balls for left-handers, however as Phoenix were right-handers this proved rather useless yet productive for the opposing team. It wasn't long until the first wicket went down for Pacific, however the solid 50* by Kashif enabled him to retire and thus let Pacific back into a game that was drifting slowly and carefully towards Phoenix. Smith bowled some decent medium pace to snare 2 wickets and keep the clamps on, however it was the bowling partnership of Webley, AKA Maverick, and Roberts to keep the run-rate down and the pressure up. A good variation in pace and with the fielders back, ensured that boundaries were at a premium and a revenge victory was on the cards.

  With 39 needed off the last over, surely the night could not have gone to Phoenix, however up stepped Smith to over-step several times and allow a surprise victory with 5 sixes and 3 fours coming off the final over which can only be described as rather irritating for all the Pacific players. Just kidding, Smith proved the knight that he was and kept Phoenix down snaring his second wicket in what proved to be the revenge victory for our great knights of the realm...

  Champagne moment has to go to Hardisty: with match fees of £2.50 owed, Chandler bellowed round for it upon Hardisty to reply with 'For that? I didn't bat or bowl!' There's always next week however, where JH will certainly get a better game...  

VIII :- Conrad Chandler*, Jon Webley, Jon Hardisty, Simon Smith, Sammy Purcell, Al Pritchard, Hugh Roberts & Aroon Korgaonkar. 9th Peter Hollman