After inspecting the pitch ("a pudding") and consulting the weather forecast ("solid rain") the match between Brigands and Portsmouth CC on 23 May has been cancelled. Luckily there is a return match with Portsmouth on the seafront in mid-July which is one of only 2 away fixtures this season. The next scheduled Brigands match is on 30 May against Petersfield CC.

The match against London New Zealand has had to be called off due to rain and a very waterlogged Broadhalfpenny Down. Hopefully, the Brigands will be back in action next weekend against Portsmouth CC.

Sons of Bacchus won the toss and elected to bowl first against what, on paper, was a strong Brigands’ batting line-up. In fact, the Brigands made slow progress against consistent and accurate seam bowling, backed-up by some excellent catching and ground fielding, which restricted the run-rate to little more than three-and-a-half an over for much of their innings. In the end, the Brigands were indebted to Mark Flewitt who batted for very nearly the whole innings for his painst

Brigands scored 207-8 declared with Guy Ladenburg scoring 80 Not Out on debut. Vagabonds shut up shop at the end and finished on 174-8 when time ran out with Neil Wood talking the first 3 wickets and Jake Peach and Jonas Waktare bagging two each.

After looking good in the first pre-match fielding practice of the season, the Brigands failed to tackle the twin challenges of a low bounce wicket and running 22 yards slumping to 90-6 including two run-outs. An elegant 34 from Ed Hands and a maiden career 50 for Dougie Henderson led a Brigands recovery meant captain Mike Beardall could declare on 209. After the Hursley Park opener asked, politely, if we wouldn't bowl fast as it was his first game ever, the Brigands let loos

On another pleasant mid-April day the Newport Gentlemen made their first visit to Broadhalfpenny Down, and won the first toss of 2021. They elected to bat and made slow but steady progress against a decent Brigands attack. Opening up with Neil Wood and Ed Hands, skipper David Henderson had a varied bowling battery to rotate. Ed Walker, Dave Turner, Dougie Henderson, Gerry Northwood and David Henderson himself all turned their arms over, and there was always Jake Peach avai