On a day that saw a strange glowing orb appear in the sky that actually turned out to be something called the Sun, Henleaze Old Boys eagerly watched their clocks and readied themselves to depart their stinking dull offices for the quaint village pitch of Putts Puffers and their penultimate match of the season. Nestling on the fringes of the deepest parts of outer Bristol one might say that their ground is somewhat of a chore to get to, especially when battling your way through Bristol's rush hour traffic, but once you're there the cosy surroundings and warm welcome make the trek well worth it.

Captain Smith won the toss and with summer nights starting earlier by the day he elected to bat first. With Putts Puffers 'local' rules we've taken to playing this fixture as a bit of a fun-day, you have to retire at 50 (if you're lucky enough to make that) and everyone has to bowl at least one over, much to the unease of yours truly, but more about that later. So with fun-day rules SJ Smith chose the batting order by way off a lottery, numbers in a hat and everyone picks one. Now this should have produced a mixed bag of batters in different positions but as fate would have it the batting order remained much the same, with EC Davis and S Adams opening, even opening batsman P Serjeant in at number 3. If only winning the national lottery was a predicable.

Davis and Adams made their way out to the crease that was dry and hard, the outfield was equally solid and with the added bonus of grass as well kept as a bikini models privates. Davis opened the batting and both men got the Old Boys off to flying start putting almost 40 on the board in just 4 overs, Adams scoring several tidy fours off his legs that shot over the boundaries helped along by that short and dry grass. Ed looked like he was trying to smash it over the ropes but unfortunately never quite seemed to find the middle of the bat. Overs rolled by and the runs seemed to slow up for a short while and with another lusty blow Davis skied one towards the back of the field that sadly plopped straight in to the hands of the opposition, he sauntered home with 24.

P Serjeant whose style of cricket is more akin to the mentality of ram raiding youths, 'smash and grab' now joined Adams. He had the right idea but unfortunately fell foul of quick stumping making an unusually low 4 before the pegs hit the ground. He wasn't best pleased and laid the blame on my bat, which he'd borrowed. What's the old saying? "A good craftsman never blames his tools" unfortunately Phil did this time.

Adams, who was still steadying the helm of good ship hob, was joined by new recruit Will Thomas. After his exhibition in the last match various Old Boys were seen running for the car park to move their cars further away. Thomas didn't disappoint and played some great cricket, not just over the boundaries but also some smart stops and plenty of quick singles. Adams plugged on with several more singles but was caught close in at silly mid-off from the diving catch of an eagle eyed Puffer.

Adams probably wished the Puffer was more pie eyed than eagle, as he had his eye in and looked like he might have gone on to be forced to retire at 50. Still he finished with a very well played 31.

Big hitter Anth now partnered big hitter Will and several balls were dispatched over the flags by both men. Will hitting one into a neighbouring car park, one on to the football pitch of Chipping Sodbury and one that missed watching Old Boys and the Putts Puffers Club House by inches. A disgruntled Puffer was heard to mutter that there would be trouble if any of their cars where hit. It was probably best then that Will decided to retire himself on 33 saying that he was thirsty.

SJ Smith joined Anth but not for long as Anth was quickly and cleanly bowled for 5. Fillingham stepped up next and some good calling saw captain and secretary add further runs to the board. Sadly Captain Smith was caught whilst going for a big six, caught by a man who looked like he was never going to get there but unfortunately for Smith he somehow did.

Paul Meredith Ashford slipped on his pads and eagerly swaggered on pitch. A confident and excellent all round sports man he hoped to better his 'quacking' performance from the weekends Challenge Trophy, and he did scoring just the one before being bowled. Clements then joined Fillingham for the last over and was facing. One wide, then a very streaky hit that nutmeged a Puffer and somehow went for four to see him back at the crease, a swing and miss, a lofty hit but no run, then a quick single and Ash was up to face, another quick single and that was it. We trooped back in with a well-earned 140; confident we had a decent target to defend.

Some might say that we're a much better team in the field with several people that are more than capable of turning their arm and more than enough chaps willing to put their podgy aging bodies on the line. So with Local rules and the fact that every Old Boy had to bowl we hoped we could keep their total down.

LJ Caller got the bowling underway and restricted the opening Puffers Matthews and Brooks to just a couple of singles. SJ Smith strode up to the crease and continued to keep the bowling tight and straight, Anth also bowled in his usual style and restricted the Puffers to ticking over slowly and at the 4 over mark there was not much more than 15 or 20 on the board. As I previously mentioned everyone has to bowl and Captain Smith gave Clements a wink and summoned him to crease to have his first ever bowl in a competitive game of cricket.

It's fair to say Matt was a bag of nerves but with encouraging words from the captain he felt strangely confident, alas this was to be a short lived feeling, as what followed was probably one of the most expensive overs in cricketing history. Wide followed by wide followed by wide with a couple that nearly took out the Easyjet to Barcelona and two that tried to bore the second channel crossing at my feet. Several 4s were knocked off a couple of questionable deliveries and with a deep breath and some helpful words from the umpire I actually managed to deliver a couple of straight albeit slow ones, with one even resulting in a lengthy call of "ooowwwwzzzzaaaaaaattttttttttttt" from captain Smith, not surprisingly it wasn't given. Eventually the horror was over and their scoreboard had shot up. Thankfully Matt wasn't called back for a second over.

Fillingham who had traded gloves and wicket keeping for hands and fielding for this game as he fancied a bowl was up next. A man of unorthodox bowling style he looped in several spinning deliveries that seemed to catch the batsman unaware, did they come forward did they go back, did they stay where they were, they simply didn't know until Puffer Matthews played it of his legs up into the air and straight down into the hands of yours truly. Ashley was made up with his first wicket for HOBs and Clements was pleased to have slightly redeemed himself for an appalling performance with the ball.

The Puffers then seemed to pull a selection of enormous men out their kit bag who would have looked more at home driving combine harvesters. Big Men usually mean big hitters and the Puffers certainly upped their game and started to make some runs. JS Smith bowled in usual excellent form and lured one of their opening batsmen to pop one up in to the trustworthy hands of P Serjeant. Ashford came on and took his what now seems to be usual wicket, taking the stumps clean out from behind Puffer Passmore.

Golden Arm took to the crease but unfortunately failed to hit the stumps, however a slowish ball in saw Puffer Bridgeman power one up into the air which for a while looked like it was heading for a six, thankfully underneath it stood JS Smith with outstretched clam awaiting the ball. Into the clam hands it popped and out it popped, a quick bounce of his Adams apple and back in to the safety of a clam. Hooray he'd done it and what an excellent catch (or catches) it was, right on the boundary.

Will Thomas was the next man of note and proved he has equal worth with ball as well as bat, forcing Puffer Stafford back to the comfort of the Pavilion with just 8. Davies came on next and took out Fry with the well thought out ruthlessness of a trained assassin, winking at Jo to come closer to the wicket he hit the stumps without any need for backup.

With just over 100 on the board Putts Puffers made a valiant attempt at a come back with their last two batsmen Grey and Smith hitting and running some speedy fours. Unfortunately too many overs had run by and there were too few balls left to deliver and they finished on a well-earned 115. HOBs had done it; we'd won by 25 runs with a total of 140. The 'WAGS' of Putts Puffers put on an excellent Barbecue and the Old Boys rejoiced with Hotdogs and Blackthorn. Thanks to the hospitality of Putts Puffers a great night was has by all. Although for us Old Boys their ground can be a chore to get to it's most certainly always a pleasure to play there.