An overcast chilly April day turned into a beautiful spring evening at Wray.  Unfortunately having the oppo 31/4 off 15 and being concerned about not having enough runs to chase turned into narrow defeat despite Toby's fine knock.  Skip Tom did not seem impressed with the top order but the extras count and the generally poor attempts to catch could take the blame as well.

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Tom adds: 

Nuggsy and Adam got us off to a fine start, with the former his usual metronomic self and the latter steaming in with plenty of akward pace and bounce. Both picked up a brace of wickets and at 31 for 4 Riffs were in real trouble. But dropped catches and some expensive change bowling allowed Riffs to sneak up to 170.  

A decent tea was conjured up despite the increasingly skanky Wray clubhouse. Highlights included fresh strawbs, fig crackers (?) and some lovingly made parma ham sandwiches. However, it is surely only a matter of time before an unsuspecting cricketer is struck down by some terrible disease borne out of the filth in that kitchen. 

Jon and Toby were rightfully watchful in the face of some very skillful bowling from Riffs. Jon edged one through to the keeper who claimed a very low and possibly dubious catch, and a slow and painful collapse ensued. With the target in reach and the required rate still only 5 or 6, Pacific just couldn't stop the wickets tumbling, and when Toby fell after a patient 76, the wheels really came off. Sheldon was undone by a perfect yorker second ball as Riffs' classy opening seamer Rajashekhar returned. The run rate leapt up as our tail arrived on the scene and 20 was needed off the last two overs. Despite Adam's best efforts (23*) we ended needing 9 or 10 off the last ball. 

Well done to Riffs, who barely bowled a bad ball all day. As Churchill once said, 'Catches win matches', and we only caught three of nine chances. A better fielding display would have kept the target under 100, and it would have been us drinking shots and dancing in the World's End, not Riffs. Half a dozen of us sat in there with our ales, crying, and Sheldon and Ben were last seen in the Faultering Fullback discussing Oscar Pistorius with random people.