2003 - Lemmings v Lord Gnome XI

The last match of the season took place on Saturday, and sadly it was not a happy finale for the Lemmings. On a pitch reminiscent of the Oval in 1976, the Gnomes won the toss and elected to bat. Jim Baker's opening burst was uncharacteristically expensive, punctuated by some characteristic cries of anger, and he had to be replaced as the Gnomes posted 50 as early as the seventh over. Pete Baker and Ralph Dellor set about restricting the scoring rate with some accurate bowling, aided by two wickets for Baker junior junior. Dellor provided a masterclass in the art of outswing bowling, and the pressure mounted. This culminated in one of the finest overs ever in Lemmings cricket, where Widnall threw down the stumps from 30 yards to run one dangerous Gnome out, and Young Tom Wood held on to a thin edge off Dellor's bowling two balls later to send another one packing. The Lemmings were cock a hoop, and Matt Baker continued to apply the pressure with a tidy spell. McKechnie and Wood shared the 5th bowler's allotment to good effect, and another run out from that man Widnall put more skids under the Gnomes. Baker senior redeemed himself in the eyes of the captain by taking a good catch off Wood's bowling, then mopping up the last two wickets. Gnomes were all out 192 in 43 overs. The Lemmings had disposed of an excellent batting side cheaply, and the match was there for the taking....

Or so we thought.... Myers was dispatched first ball of the innings LBW by McKechnie, then Pies and Pete Baker fell to good catches at second slip. Kish got one that kept low and at tea the Lemmings were 28-4. Wood and Matt Baker needed to build a partnership, but conspicuously failed as Wood was bowled in the second over after tea. 30-5. Young Tom Wood, Widnall and McKechnie provided Matt with some support, and the Lemmings crept past their lowest ever score of 86 with 8 wickets down. When Matt fell for a battling 44, the game was up, and it was left to Dellor to smite the deficit to under a hundred. That was as far as we got, as the innings ended on 97 with Baker senior being given LBW by Pies, and the rancorous post mortem began...