The cricket pitches of Home Park are among the most picturesque, historically rich locations among Pacific fixtures, forming part of the Royal grounds of one of the Queen's many rungs of the property ladder, Windsor Castle.

Originally built as a fortress by William The Conqueror, Windsor has in recent seasons remained a stronghold for its latter day vassals Cranbourne CC against their assailants from North London. While last year's victory for the home team required a nail-biting finish, the target being achieved from the last ball of that game, this year everyone was spared from any unnecessary keratin ingestion.

And it could have been even easier for the merry men of Windsor were it not for two last-minute additions to the visitors' side.

Debutant Rich Cooke, who resembled a strawberry blond, right-handed Gower at times, contributed to a 40 partnership with Pacific stalwart John Webley in the difficult overcast conditions that had earlier helped the wily Cranbourne bowlers arrow out openers Haill and Lay for only four runs.

Then, after Pacific's fifth to the eighth batsmen were all picked off by the Cranbourne sharp-shooters with only eight runs added, the Pacific total was on its knees, a figurative arrow in one eye, and longsword poised above its neck, at 100 for 9.

Thankfully, a spirited last wicket partnership from skipper Dr Rob Bastin, batting at nine, and last-minute rescue package Kieran Mullens helped the score on to a defendable total. Bastin battled through despite a heavy previous night's drinking, crafting a considered innings, with his powerful Kendoid forearms meting out slashing blows among his otherwise staunch defensive play, while latterly unpractised Mullens recalled his schoolboy lessons and unfurled a number of elegant cover drives in among some long-limbed forward defensives. Together they added 68, a club record for the 10th wicket.

Sadly this was, in the full Bayeux Tapestry of the match, to prove largely futile, with Pacific's defence of a low total quickly undermined by a volley of early boundaries, as Naveej Vinod and John Brown were denied the same bowler-friendly conditions as their opponents. Not long into the second innings, the sun crowned through the clouds like a newborn's head, quickly making it apparent that the pitch was rejecting the advances of swing and now favoured spin.

Of the succession of twirlers tested by Pacfic, the most successful was Mullens, whose well-flighted off-spinners brought three wickets. Saif Shamsuddin's darts and Haill's new slow left armers beat the bat on occasion but failed to remove the indomitable Cranbourne opener Moores, who continued to hit boundaries til the target was eventually surpassed with 15 overs to go. The Pacific fielders never let their heads drop, nor any catches, which was pleasing and ensured the game remained relatively compelling until the end.

Stat-watch:
The 68-run pairing of Bastin and Mullens surpasses by just one run Pacific's previous long-held record for the last wicket. This was held by Ged Murphy & Frank Baglivi since 1989, who were joined on the same score by Leon Yates & Peter Hollman in 1992.

Man Of the Match:
Between skipper Rob Bastin, who played an important, measured innings that was, in the circumstances, one of his most important even though it proved futile in the end, and third-time player in three years Kieran Mullens, whose resolute batting and ability to inveigle the opposition batsman to miss-hit was rare in the conditions.

Packing the kit:
Three ducks can fight it out between them, though 26 byes puts keeper Holliday in front of his contenders.

Pacific XI: Rob Bastin*, Joe Bennett, Jon Brown, Richard Cooke, Oli Haill, Matt Holliday†, Steve Lay, Kieran Mullens, Saif Shamsuddin, Jon Webley, Naveej Vinod.