It was a drizzly dank evening where the light never got better that barely adequate & with the crucial toss won, it was the turn of the effervescent all rounder's light to shine.
The last call up to replace the vacant keeper's slot, Rob Bastin opened the batting to make a not out 50 & then with Ben Gibson taking the gloves because Captain Rees wanted ob to bowl,he came on first change to tie down the reply & pick up a wicket when it could & should have been more.
In the gloom & with a slippery ball Jon Hardisty did well to hang onto a steepler off Darryl Roberts but Hollman, Chandler, Roberts & later Hardisty again were less adept at hanging on to the proverbial bar of soap.
The 4 pronged seam attack did well to defend their total as pace was sacrificied in the poor light & the bowlers concentrated on accuracy with Rees in particular enjoying a high level of swing & seam movement.
Still the cry came from the Vallance Umpires for the bowlers to slow down but still the batters hit out & kept connecting. The final over from MoM Rob Bastin needed to be hit for 20 for Vallance to win but the odd dot ball & just 1 boundary & Pacific were home.
Earlier, the batting was all about Rob - shame he's not available for selection again this season.
pitch 3. VIII: Shayne Rees*, Jon Hardisty, Simon Smith, Ben Gibson+ , Darryl Roberts, Conrad Chandler, Peter Hollman & Rob Bastin. Reserves:- Oli Haill
