After monsoon-like weather in Birmingham somehow the game went ahead and Mermaids won the toss and put Village in to bat.
Village batted quite well and ended up with 106 for 2 with Andy taking both wickets. Nick Small with 3 (8-ball) overs for 10 and Anshuman with 2 (8-ball) overs for 11 were the pick of the bowlers. Rob and Tony went out to start the Mermaids reply and had a good start scoring 9 off the first over before Rob (3) lost his stumps in the second over. Haroon came in at three and played a typical Haroon innings playing some great shots accompanied by some dodgy runnning between the wickets. Tony went in the 3rd over on 5 to a great catch baring in mind the slippery
conditions leaving the score at 25 for 2. Toby replaced Tony and lasted 2 balls before departing with his second successive duck to leave a seasons average of 0. Greig and Haroon were needed to stick about for a while and get the scoreboard ticking over which worked for about 4 balls before they somehow ended up at the same end and Haroon (17) was run out. The score was 29 for 4 from 4 overs.
Anshuman was the next in line and he and Greig put up some stern resistance for a few overs before Greig was caught out for 7. Ansh (15) quickly followed as did Dez (3), Simon (7) and Nick (9) to leave us needing 37 runs with one wicket left. Andy and Bilal lasted an over together before Andy was bowled with the innings closing on 72.
Village won by 34 runs.
On a crappy day in terms of weather and cricket the one highlight was the introduction of Maya Blinco to the cricketing world and to the Mermaids team. Although she did not stay to watch the game she had perhaps already sensed what was to come as she looked noticably and audibly unhappy before she left!
