As Brigands welcomed the Cornishmen to BHD there was one question on the lips of the players, "will it be jam or cream first on the scones at tea?"
Before the question would be answered there was the small matter of a game of cricket. Brigands skipper Northwood won the toss and elected to bat first on a green and damp wicket. Adams and Flewitt opened the innings with Adams quickly returning to the pavilion in the second over. Flewitt was next to go for a patient 22 leaving Jay Snr scoring a creditable 21 before falling to some tight bowling. The skipper and Preece then looked to build a total for the home side. When Northwood fell for 23 it was left to Wood to join Preece as the crowd grew on hearing the news that Wood was promoted to be batting in the middle order. The pair quickly added 53 before Wood went for 22 trying to take on the Cornish bowlers. Jay Jnr and debutant Bird joined Preece in the middle to see Brigands through to 167-6 at tea with Preece not out on a well crafted 59.
As the players gathered for tea to the delight of the visitors the scones were prepared in the traditional Cornish way of jam first followed by cream. Well done Rosie and Pam!
After the delights of tea Brigands took toe the field to try and defend their total. With Wood and Osmond opening the bowling the visitors got off to a steady start before the opener gave a simple catch to another debutant, Bulpitt, at square leg. A smart catch behind the stumps from Preece followed by a LBW gave Wood his third wicket and left the visitors with work to do. With runs starting to flow Turner and Bird were brought into the attack. Turner quickly picked up a wicket bowling the charging batsman and this was followed in the next over by a calamitous run out. The striker hit the ball straight back to the bowler calling for a run but the non-striker was unmoved leaving Bird to collect the ball and return it to Preece behind the stumps to complete the run out. Was this the turning point of the game? It did appear that way but Turner put down 2 difficult catches off his own bowling only to see Jay Jnr and Flewitt take a catch each the following ball.
With xx runs needs and only 3 wickets remaining the game looked up for the visitors but a 48 partnership from numbers 8 and 9 looked to turn the game. Northwood turned to his 2 opening bowlers for the last 5 overs to try and win the game. Wood quickly picked up his fourth wicket with the skipper taking the catch before the visitors decided a draw was the fair result shutting up shop for the last overs from Jay Jnr and Turner.
A moral victory for Brigands with the visitors going home happy knowing that the scones were done their way!
