Briz had to go into the game without several notable players including U17’s talisman Luke ‘Hollywood’ who couldn’t make this gig as he was busy auditioning for the part of Dion Dublin in the up and coming Hollywood blockbuster ‘Homes under the Hammer – 2 bed hovel in Bolton!!’.

Tight bowling in the early overs from Fish and Keith kept the Winterbourne openers in check. It’s fair to say that if there was an award at the club for best 16 year old leg spinning Gas head who wears size 9 and a half cricket boots and happens to be called Ethan, this dude would certainly get a look in……..Hell, he might even be in the top 1!

Thereafter the Winterbourne openers started to accelerate carting anything short away towards the boundary rope and on top of that they we’re duly served up a handful of full bungers which ‘got the treatment’, duly slapped to the boundary with great aplomb. Fish did account for opener A. Peterson (20) rearranging his furniture in the ninth over but this just brought no.3 Slade to the wicket who ably assisted opener J.Peterson as they racked up the runs.

The introduction of H into the attack finally accounted for Slade (34) caught by skipper Will on the boundary but Peterson continued to score taking the Winterbourne total to 162 for 3 after 20 overs. His 86 not out a telling contribution to the Winterbourne total which was to win him the man of the match award.

Briz openers Milo & Fish got our run chase off to a great start and ahead of Winterbourne’s comparable score after the first 5 overs. However, Fish (the ‘Hero of Golden Hill’) was, despite a bright start, unable to repeat his batting tour de force from earlier in the week, swatting a ball to waiting hands at Cow corner in the seventh over. Moooo!

Will, Big Sharpie and Keith took it in turns to join Milo but all departed without being able to trouble the scorers too much. Will and Ethan both falling the wrong side of tight calls, Will adjudged to have been L-b-wubble-u and Keith run out in spite of a full length dive akin to a Lancaster bomber crash landing back at base after having its undercarriage shot off by Gerry over the channel! His whites are gonna take some serious cleaning!

So it felt like the scales were tipping Winterbourne’s way unless Milo and those yet too bat could pull off an improbable run chase. Normally low flying aircraft have to be diverted by traffic control to avoid collisions with balls hit by this serial ball swiper, so it was great to see him getting on top of the ball and smashing 4’s throughout his innings in a controlled manner save for one mighty six which almost de-winged a passing Airbus a380!

However, with no fielding restrictions Winterbourne had already proceeded to stick 8 boys on the boundary to try and thwart our Milo. Something most of us watching had probably never seen in a junior game (and hope to not see again). At least it’ll give him something to tell his grandchildren in years to come……..fast forward to a 70 year old Milo embellishing the tale whilst telling his grandchildren (in a mock Geoffrey Boycott accent) – ‘I’ll tell thee we we’re playing in ‘tut league cup final against Winterbourne, and I were batting with little Sharpie like……well I say little Sharpie but the lad were 6ft 8 and built like brick ####house. Anyhow, there I was leathering ball to all parts with me limp stick of rhubarb when opposition put everybody out and I mean out, ‘cept for one lad who had to shine ball for bowler. Deep Square Leg was stationed in car park and Cow Corner somewhere near outskirts of Chipping Sodbury! By heck!’

Despite a few more lusty blows it was a great slower ball from Slade which accounted for young Mr Ayres, gone for a scintillating 67 and with it dwindling hopes of a successful run chase. Little Sharpie (14 not out) batted on with great credit whilst a revolving door operated at the other end as one wicket led to another until we were all out for 116 in the last over.

Congratulations to Winterbourne who were the better team on the day and hard lines to our boys who stuck at it till the end – Will, Milo, Sam, Ethan, Ben F, Harrison, Ben S, Cal, Alfie, Max and Tommy T. Thanks also to everybody who turned up to support the boys.

A special mention for Will who as always did a great job as skipper. It’s a little known fact but Will Thomas is in fact an anagram of ‘Leader of men’………….ok so I may fabricated that a little bit, although it is actually an anagram of ‘Llawhitsom’ which sounds a little bit like a small Welsh mining village near Aberdare although we’re currently unable to confirm that as we have no Welsh speakers at the club (sorry Rhys but belting out ‘Delilah’ at the club when you’ve had a few jars doesn’t make you a Welsh linguistics expert).

Finally big thanks to Tommo for organising the U17’s this year which can be a thankless job given that he is only getting £350 per hour for doing it along with the freedom of Brislington and a holiday home in Tahiti! Seriously though (that bit was FAKE news in case you hadn’t realised), the constant rearranging and trying to get a team out is something he’ll not be missing in the coming weeks! Well done mate and well done boys!