The recent talk of the British team's limited chances in Athens had clearly confused several players who proceeded to hurl away valuable wickets in the hope of some kind of gold, silver or bronze award.
John went off the first (and slowest) ball of the game (to James' embarrassment), and with the shock dismissal of Haroon for a silver following hot on the heels the Mermaids were in disarray. Rob, set upon a long and patient innings, played circumspectly for 3 balls and then, tried to heave a straight one to depart for another duck.
While all around were folding like so many bed-settees, Jon (16) maintained his composure and was all too soon joined by Trev (33). With Yorkshire grit and determination and a blob in last week's Martins game to drive him on, he made batting look easy, playing shots all round the park. Together, they brought an element of stability and respectability to what seemed so close to turning into a debacle.
Ansh has, by his own admission, not enjoyed great success at Wast Hills. He even tried playing for the opposition last week and that didn't help. Perhaps there is a message there for Tony and Haroon. However, in what could only be described as a crisis perched upon the edge of a precipice waiting to happen, he knocked a nice 17, beating his cumulative runs scored at home by 6. Fahad, somewhat concerned at the low run rate, decided to get on with things and was unlucky to drive the ball slightly too straight and back to the bowler.
Dez (5*) and James (1) ran like a full grown adult and a small boy, until James was run out scurrying for a sharp one. Andy, half way through a cigarette, was once more called into the breach to stand at the non-strikers end for the last ball and a suicide run, though his relief that not to have to bat with James was palpable. Simon stood around with his pads on and mercilessly took the p*** out of the scorer.
We scored 82 for 9 in 20 overs. To be fair to those who let themselves and the team down, the Selly Oak bowling was tight and on exactly the right length all night.
Mermaids went about defending a small total with gusto and a carefully considered bowling plan. Simon (4 overs, 3 for 16) opened from the road end and sent down a mixture of dead on and crazy deliveries deliberately to confuse the batsmen into hitting the latter straight at Ansh (2 catches) at backward square. Haroon also joined in the catching bonanza with a sharp, if casually taken, one.
Potentially their most dangerous batsman - the guy with a voice so deep only whales can hear him - went to a nice catch by Fahad off Andy who bowled tightly and applied the screw for 4 overs, 1 maiden, 1 for 9.
Fahad (3 overs, 1 maiden, 1 for 4) was similarly miserly and he gave next to nothing to hit in a classy spell topped off by his uncle snaffling a catch. Bilal was pleased to see Haroon make amends for earlier disappointment and delighted when he knocked over one of the tail-enders too, finishing with 1 over 1 for 6.
Dez (3 overs, 3 for 10) varied between spot on a good length and beaming the elderly gentlemen at the crease. He also induced a remarkable diving catch from Simon at cover point. Impartial observers noted that it was only marginally less spectacular than the one they had seen the week before in nearly the same position in practically pitch black out of the trees with a howling gale and hit twice as hard. They also commented that it was rather better than the one that bloke dropped at the 20-20 on Monday night. Let us never speak of this again.
Ansh's newly found Wast Hills form (4 balls 1 for 1) continued and he tidied them up for a total of 46 all out in 15.4 overs.
Trev kept very tidily indeed. John and Haroon packed the bag.
