Five years and a couple of months after gracing our inaugural match, Laz were back in town for a game unusually blessed with dappled early August sunshine.

Ed tossed up as I was late, stuck in an emergency meeting to address the increasing unemployment amongst the Young People of Bristol, won and elected to bat first.

Names went in a hat for the second game in a row, which probably does a better job of choosing a batting order than I have ever done. Defying odds spuriously worked out by Will, at least four and perhaps five batsmen drew the positions in which they had batted the previous match. All that meant Tom and Nick opening. Two overs in and they were both back in the pavilion (or actually the grassy boundary edge in front of the shed) with just a single each to their names. Early season form and promise having deserted both of them. That brought Anth and myself to the crease, and we ticked along nicely, the former miraculously exhibiting a previously hidden talent for hitting more than one boundary in an innings, the latter making my way into double figures with a few well timed slogs.

The running between the wickets was a revelation too, loud clear calling. The two tallest members of the team showing up their more nimble counterparts; until that is, I Anth and I found ourselves both at the same end. It was his call, but I made it and promptly sprinted towards him - passed him as it happened. Just as Anth had got going and was looking good, he was trudging his way back to the pavilion. Entirely my fault - sorry mate.

Anyway, in a flurry of guilt and in full headless chicken mode I promptly lost my middle stump a couple of balls later. Will and Dave came in and steadied the ship with a partnership of at least fifty before Dave perished. Will went on and played beautifully though, notching up his first fifty of the season in the process. Jon came in and hit a couple of boundaries towards the end too.

A target of 142 to win in 18 overs was always going to be a tough ask for Lazarus, but in fairness to them they had a crack at it, making 125 for 4 from their allocation. We mixed the bowling up a bit and they were never able to stay up with the required rate. Ed finished with the pick of the figures with 2 for 11. An enjoyable game though, and nice to renew acquaintances with Laz after a couple of seasons with no fixture against them. So the HOB victory wheel keeps on turning - our first game of the final week of the season.