Brigands v Butterflies, 24 August 2025

At 2.44pm on the final day of the unforgettable Ashes summer of 2005, Kevin Pietersen and Ashley Giles came together with the urn on the line. Against express pace, sharp spin and suffocating fields, they fought through an hour that Pietersen would later describe as the most intense, and the most fun, of his career.

At Broadhalfpenny Down this weekend, Dave Henderson and Mike Beardall found themselves in a similar position. With 8 wickets down and 10 overs still to survive against the relentless attack of Butterflies CC, they were tasked with preserving Brigands pride.

By then, the conditions were loaded in the visitors’ favour. The late-summer wicket was dry and cracked, the ball leaping unpredictably from a length as the sun began to sink. The umpires were turning down enthusiastic appeals that rained in for every half-chance.

Earlier, the Butterflies had paced their innings with precision; 30 for 2 after ten overs, 100 for 3 at the 20-over mark, before accelerating towards a commanding declaration. Beardall had claimed the first three wickets with flight and spin, but his efforts merely brought Robbie Ceiriog-Hughes to the crease. The elegant left-hander peppered the skies with chances, though Brigands’ creaking fielders; hampered by age, injury, and the unfamiliar sight of Adam Jay crouching behind the stumps.

Richie Hay bowled an economical spell and Lee Gray picked up 3 wickets with a mix of seam and spin, but from 198 for 7 the Butterflies surged to 229 for 7 declared in the blink of an eye, a total that even the most seasoned chasing side would have found daunting on that pitch.

Brigands’ response began in disarray. A calamitous mix-up left Jim Morris run out without scoring, while Mark Flewitt lost his off stump, Jay feathered an edge, and Paul Whittle was caught (off the leading edge) in the slips. It seemed only a matter of time before the Butterflies wrapped things up.

But Henderson dug deep. With a straight bat and calm presence, he stayed out in the middle for 32 overs, scoring 74 not out, including 16 boundaries of which all but 2 were through the off-side. Wickets continued to tumble around him, but a gritty stand of 58 with Steve Blackburn took the score from 62-7 to 120-8, bringing Beardall to the crease, and a hard-fought draw.

A combined "best of XI" from the day might have included nine Butterflies and two Brigands, but that is the romance of timed cricket. Should the declaration have come earlier? Would more tempting bowlers in the middle-overs have been more profitable? Risk and reward at play at the cradle of cricket.

Butterflies 229-8 drew with Brigands 142-8

Photo credits Paul Whittle, Adam Jay & Kris Newton