An unfamilar-looking Pacific XI enjoyed a stroll to victory in Battersea Park in our first enounter against the colourfully-named Cairns Fudge. 

After winning the toss and putting the Fudge in to bat on a tacky, treacherous track, Howes and Sapp impressed with the new ball, before spin twins Garrett and Chai Pandya - the similarly hirsute brother of injured Umrish (of 2018 fame) - took the plaudits with 7 wickets between them. Fudgeman Van Naidoo had looked dangerous (and not just with the bat) in an arresting yellow helmet and anti-glare sunnies combo, while Moses, coming in at number 9, showed more quality than his upper-order brethren and dragged the Fudge to a respectable 143. The opposition also featured sometime Pacificicist Richard Saldhana, Jack Malnick's sport-watching sidekick.

Pacific surely only needed to bat their allotted overs to take this one home, but with key men Basi and Chasseaud being dismissed cheaply, wicket-keeper Faulks falling soon after and Burnham perishing to a shooter, at 54-4 doubts began to surface. These were soon dispelled by Stockton and Malnick, who marmalised their way to a 90-odd partnership with consummate ease, taking us home with 15 overs to spare. 

Post-match refreshments were enjoyed in the Prince Albert pub, with a cameo appearance from Alice Burnham and Dave "The Rave" Flaherty, who we hope to see in Pacific colours before he emigrates to Australia. 

BB