One of Pacific's raft of fresh talent for 2016 took his game to new-found heights and his new club to their third victory in a row on Sunday. Yorkshireman Ben Stockton scored a brutal 139, passing the century mark for the first time in his life, and took a brace of wickets as Pacific beat South London artists collective Bussey by a handsome margin.

Although the innings began in sedate fashion, with habitual number-11 Ahmed Hussain sporting thigh-pads on both legs but no helmet as he was given a chance at the top of the order, along with Mark Woodland. Vindicating this decision, A-bomb scored his first four, he thinks, for the club. This was of course came after several of his favourite forward defensive strokes as he warmed up for his big, swivelling pull shot. At the other end, 'Creatures' also showed how his game is improving rapidly after only taking up cricket last year.  

Stockton arrived after a short cameo from Ben Burnham, as he recovered from partying til 4am the night before and a morning game of squash, and healthy acceleration of the run rate from Jon Webley. The young Imperial college graduate was soon smashing sixes and fours with imperious ease alongside Kieran Mullens, who skippered the team to victory in style with a classy innings that included a wristy cut that Jon branded 'shot of the day'. The pair put on partnership of 206 which left Bussey chasing an intimidating total. 

The chunky blades of both players owed a small debt to the man after whom the opposition team were named. Bussey CC was formed a few years ago by artistic types who worked in galleries near to the old Bussey cricket bat factory. George Bussey decided in 1890 to abandon the trend of using the heavy heart-wood of the tree and instead experiment with sapwood, which was lighter in colour and weight.

Despite their close connections to cricketing history, not many of the Bussey batsmen stayed around for a long time. Mullens had a strong bowling attack to choose from, with Navid Chowdhury and Sharan Timbadia hooping the ball out of reach, before Bussey then began to boost their total when spinner Ahmed and drifter Oli Haill were brought on. After the opposition skipper fell for the same score as his counterpart as a drizzle began to fall, the Bussey batters (including noted carrot photographer Tim Smyth) were returned to the bunker fairly regularly, with the 'Lambrini moment' said to be Oli holding on to a fizzing cut with a diving left hand off Stockton's bowling. 

Continuing the history theme, Pacific's third win in a row is the first time this feat has been accomplished since May 2012 with a win over Oakfield in sunny Broxbourne featuring a Webley 92-not-out and the long-lost Lahri Mohammed, Steve Richards and Tony Tambyrajah. That trio of wins in May was extended into a five-game streak in June, so here's hoping that repeats in 2016.

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