The next opponents for HOBs were the ever-reliable Lazarus XI. After already having lost seven matches to the weather this season we were all hoping that a break in the rain would allow the game to go ahead. Vicious rumours spread through the Old Boys camp that the Laz mob had been struggling to raise a team this year and indeed Lazarus XI might only be a Laz VI, maybe less. Luckily, we didn't receive the dreaded phone call from either the opposition or the groundsman so it was game on!

The Hobbers, as per usual, were all ready and waiting (bar Al Pearce) for the scheduled 6pm start but at this point we were playing what appeared to be a Lazarus VII. Captain Smith offered to field first so we could get the game underway, allowing the rest of the Laz turn to turn up when they will. The game was also reduced to 18 overs a side due to the dark rain clouds lingering above.

Having not beaten Laz since our inaugural match, (we did beat them earlier this season but that was a mixture of Laz VI plus four Old Boys) HOBs were in a determined mood to put one over the auld enemy. Pinch hitters Grime and Freeguard opened the batting for Lazarus, both have scored highly against Henleaze in the past and the writing looked to be on the wall when 11 runs came from the first over. However, Captain Smith threw down some short stuff that made Grime call for a helmet, two balls later he was back in the hut after fending off a chin tickler that popped back in the air to the bowler. As has been the case many times this season, one soon became two when Jon claimed the wicket of the other opener after he holed one to Clements at mid-off.

SJ Smith collected his second wicket of the day in the final over his spell, after peppering the batsman with some more short stuff, Smith then produced the 'ball of the day', an in-swinging Yorker that the batsman had no answer to. Barrett also got in on the act when their number 5 skied the ball straight into Phil Serjeant's Venus fly-traps. The spin twins were now on, taking the pace of the ball and making the batsmen work hard for every run, Adams was bowling well but was unfortunately getting milked like a faithful old cow until the Laz number three hit the ball straight down the throat of SJ Smith at mid-wicket. That sparked another collapse and the Old Boys could smell blood, surrounding the new batsman like vultures waiting for a wounded animal to die. Ashford clean bowled their number 6 with a quicker one, and then, with the very next ball, the Lazarus captain danced down the wicket with all the grace of a giraffe on skates leaving Fillingham with the simplest of stumpings.

Ashford on a hattrick but that'll have to wait until the next match as that was the final delivery of his spell. There was the first collective HOBs hattrick however as from the other end, Jon sent the off stump cart-wheeling with a ripsnorter! Three wickets in three balls had knocked the stuffing out of Laz and with a run out from the final ball of the innings, it meant a chase of 96 to win.

Al Pearce had the honour of opening the batting after failing to get a bat in his previous appearance for the Old Boys this season and striding out into the middle with him was our very own pinch hitter Phil Serjeant. Two fours from the first two deliveries and 25 runs from the first two overs set the tone for the remainder of the game. Every ball, good or bad was being dispatched to all parts of the ground by the destructive Serjeant, Al Pearce was doing his part too, preferring to run the singles and two's. 48 from the first four overs and the Lazarus strike bowlers were literally blown out of the attack although it really didn't seem to matter who was bowling - the out come was the same.

The Lazarus bowlers finally got the break through when Serjeant was caught in the deep after chancing his arm one too many times. He did however make a quick fire 44 from just 23 balls and when Al Pearce was clean bowled in the very next over HOBs had just lost both openers in the space of four balls. Mike Serjeant and Tom Lambshead were the new batsmen at the crease and with both on nought a cagey couple of overs ensued with Tom in particular playing some textbook defensive shots - although I'm not sure which textbook they were from! Mike and Tom continued the good work set by the openers, both finishing not out and scoring at a run a ball to see the Hobbers comfortably home in side 12 overs.

So, another convincing win for the Henleaze Old Boys and our unbeaten run stretches to four on the bounce. Man of the Match was Phil Serjeant for his blistering 44 that sent Laz on the back foot from the first ball, something they never recovered from.

Bring on the next match that manages to avoid the rain!