With only two matches remaining and the league title in sight HOBs went into the match against Renishaw in confident mode. After winning the toss captain Smith elected to field first claiming and I quote "it will brighten up later". This would later prove to be the correct decision as Barrett opened the bowling with some devilish deliveries which led to an early wicket.

At the other end Will Thomas provided excellent support with some equally impressive deliveries and it wasn't long before he got his first wicket. Due to some tight bowling and some excellent fielding, particularly from Andrew Barry, the opposition were finding it extremely difficult to score runs. It was not long before the wickets began to tumble with John and Ed getting amongst them with impressive spells. It was left to 'Golden Arm' Adams and Paul Ashford to 'almost' finish off the opposition leaving them with a meagre total of 72 for nine.

Overall it was an excellent bowling and fielding effort.

With a target of just 73 to win and the weather brightening up (good shout Jo!) you would think that this would have been a foregone conclusion. Not so as Renishaw proved to be far better with the ball than with the bat. Openers Davies and Jo Smith found it difficult to find their rhythm as they were facing some vicious swing. Jo was the first to go, clean bowled by a ball which must have bounced only two inches off the ground. Mike Serjeant then came to the crease with not a great deal of confidence due to some indifferent recent form but settled quickly albeit not scoring any runs. The run rate was slow and Ed was the next to fall having scored only 7 from about 10 overs!! Serjeant managed to strike some kind of partnership with Barry which seemed to put us back on track. After 23 of what has to be the most hard worked for runs, Serjeant was relived to be put out of my misery.

Thomas then came in but was quickly dismissed much to the amusement of Jon who soon followed suit after playing the worst shot of his life (his words). It was left to Ashford and Fillingham to see out the game and Paul, after playing three defensive strokes which were straight out of the MCC hand book, saw us home.

If not for a mathematical miracle surely the league should be in the bag.