C-T Martin-Junk-Innings reporting from a parky Westwinds Park

In an inter-club 20 over friendly at Westwinds, Glenmore newcomers Danish Niazy, Adib Zefar and Rafay Usmani finished off a steady chase by GCC’s re-minted Royals, guiding them to a last ball win over Lord Smudgington’s fancied Taverners side. Adib and Rafay may have lost their way to the well-concealed Westwinds ground, but in the end found their way through Tavs eight-man defense.

When Smudgers eschewed the traditional Weekday Evening League arrangement to supply complementary substitute fielders, Tavs were condemned to defend 126-9 with depleted ranks.

Some wayward leg-side bowling by Goldsworthy and Desbrow was then despatched to vacant portions of a slow outfield by Levermore (27) and the Williams sisters (George 30 ret. n.o., Chris 31 ret. no). When an exhausted Arthur Affonso (a sterling 4-0-20-2 earlier) was run out for a considered 5, 24 were needed of 18, and the stage set for Royals’ Pakistani trio.

Tavs started strongly (Goldsworthy 27, Challoner 33 ret. n.o.) and were looking at 150, but Danish’s sharp in-swingers (4-0-19-2) and King Arthur’s accurate off-breaks put the brakes on it. Antipodeans Ross Sutherland and Man-of-the-Match Chris Williams, a pair of wickets adding to his not-out batting, helped cement Royals’ comeback in the field, and when Captain Smithy was bowled heaving across to Arthur, 126 looked a bit slim for just the 8 somewhat portly Tavs to defend.

While a last-ball defeat of Tavs may not have been quite the wake-up call that Royals’ ancient Captain Pasternak had in mind for Smith’s weekday league favourites** , His Lordship will know that all wheels will need to be turning for next Monday’s league opening tie against his favourite opponents Vista Stallions, led by his favourite Captain Kamran.

** with all but one of the his 8 gracing the post-game table at Sharks, Smithy’s Taverners have no peer in that department.