The honour was regained after a year when an excellent bowling & fielding display restricted the hosts to a modest 131 lead by vintage performances from Mike Alexander & John Baglivi while the latters brother Frank rolled back the years behind the stumps.
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The consequence was that this allowed Pacific what turned out to be 41 overs to reach the target which they did thanks to an even tempoed anchor innings of 63 from Peter Hollman batting almost through the innings before off spinner Naisbutt had him caught at slip 15 runs short of the requirement.
The build up to the game was that match secretary John Hill wanted to help Locks Bottom celebrate their 60th anniversary by recruiting a select XI predominatly those who played for the club throughout the 1980s which he by & large succeeded in.
Between 2nd September 1984 & 6th July 1986, Pacific were unbeaten for an unmatched stretch that lasted 30 games. The 31st game had been against today's hosts so there was always a monkey on the back & an edge even if it was never knowingly evident in a series if genial encounters over the years - hence an always perenialy popular game with the Seniors - even Ben Hardisty made a flying visit to bring back further memories of cricket tours on barges at the turn of the 90s.
Meanwhile, back in 2007, Pacific had a game to win & it was Mike Alexander bowling up the hill on a shortened run up that made the breakthrough by cleverly varying his pace & coming up with a quicker ball that swung late to get through Kimber's defences. Soon at 46-3 Mike was able to rest but things got no easier for LB as John Baglivi showed especially when he got his line outside off while Frank Baglivi kept the batters honest standing up to the stumps throughout the match. Frank showed high value of this strategy having stumped Kale earlier & now taking a stunning catch as Bull thin edged to brother John.
Captain Steve Lay continued to rotate his bowlers. Debutant off spinner Mike Shannon bowled an exceedingly tight line as his figures showed & fellow spinners Aroon Korgaonkar & Allan Roberts also picked up wickets before the returning James Gleadow wrapped it up leaving Snaishall unbeaten on 43.
With the strengths of the day lying in the bowling, Captain Steve was very aware that the batting could crumble from any point at any time & in J Kimber, the hosts had the fastest & most agressive of the bowlers. On a slow, if unpredictable pitch that the bowlers could cut the ball in & away on, here was the only bowler who could also get it up to head height at pace. Patience was the key & time was with the visitors as accumulation rarely excelled the asking rate.
The early dismissal of Jon Hardisty to a shooter meant the pitch was not improving but Steve Lay & Hollman defended patiently & ran what was available. Indeed there was a lot of running required as there were only 11 boundaries recorded throughout the innings.
The off spinner Bull induced a thick top edge off Lay but at 47-2, the home side's hopes were just that whereas the visitors knew that for there to be any hope leaving with a win, partnerships had to be made. The 54 run partnership between Hollman & Mike Alexander was that platform although a near run out when the latter went down with cramp to prevent a 3rd run almost ended it. More drama then as John Hill became Mike's runner with Hollman calling for more fluid due to having to call for everything by now.
Alexander's inside edge off off spinner Naisbutt & John Hill missing a straight one in Nasibutt's first over threw the game back into the balance. Now it was John Baglivi's turn to steady things & still the target was little more than 4 an over although climbing.
Naisbutt's double breakthrough was countered by Hollman hitting him for 10 in one over before edging to slip but the damage had been done. Allan Roberts joing John hit the ball cleanly to covers that were well patrolled & runs were prevented, but the next ball Allan Surrey cut & LB knew this was not their day. Soon after Allan on drove through midwicket for 4 & the game was Pacific's with 7 balls & 5 wickets to spare.
XI:- S Lay*, P Hollman, J Hardisty, M Alexander, J Hill, J Baglivi, A Roberts, A Korgaonkar, J Gleadow, F Baglivi+, & M Shannon.
