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The President's XI assemble - still enthusing over the performance up in York six days earlier. Four changes to the team - Jey comes in to open. Robert takes his place back in the middle order after a holiday. Everyone delights to see Prakash around once more. Tony comes in for Christian. And we are able to donate Will to the one-short Ringers. We are to bat first - and hopes are high we can continue our winning run.
Danish moves easily into the form of last week - Jey looks solid - and both are prepared to hit hard. But the bowling is steady and the first eight overs produce just thirty-six runs. Jey falls to Shaun in the ninth. Mike comes out prepared to be patient - nine dot-balls before he's away (there is a lesson here). Rayne and Denham replace the opening bowlers. The score passes fifty in the eleventh over. Twenty runs come from the next two - and the Presidents are looking good at 72-1.
Rayne strikes. Danish well held at mid-on driving fiercely. Robert follows - same man, same spot. A double-wicket maiden - 72-1 becomes 72-3 - the Boycott add-two-wickets formula before our very eyes. But Khalid comes in and is off the mark with a six. Mike still there and plenty of batting to come.
It's 93-3 at the start of the nineteenth over. The seemingly innocuous Jason has gone for fourteen off his first two overs - his day is about to be transformed. Khalid scooped up an inch off the floor by our own man Will Thorogood holding a stinging drive off the first ball. Prakash bemused by the entire lack of pace, movement or devilry plays all round a straight one second ball. Tanzeel delicately flips one to the waiting fielders third ball. It's a hat-trick - a treble-wicket maiden - and the Presidents reel on 93-6.
The skipper, batting inexplicably low at number eight, comes out to join Mike. The salvage work begins and begins well. A quickfire partnership of sixty-five runs off the next eight overs before Denham returns to the attack. Praba is bowled and it's 158-7. Laurence contrives to pinch the strike off Mike, who knows full well he is on the verge of a fifty. But another single and Mike is there to blast the four that takes him past the target - bowling last week, batting this - the man is enjoying a second childhood. He perishes to a skier two balls later - the shot of a tired man - out for fifty-three (one six, eight fours, forty-one balls). Well played that man.
The remaining batsmen soon fall to Denham but contive to add another fifteen mainly in extras - Laurence stylishly stepping back to admire a nudge off his hip to fine leg and dislodging his own bail - Guy caught and bowled playing his other shot. But we have 185 on the board and think we can defend it.
A fine tea - well done Jey - and beginning to cloud over. Surely we can do it.
We begin well - Tim Scandrett unlucky to fall to Khlaid for a duck to one that rolls of his thigh with just enough strength to disturb the wicket. The powerful Shaun falls to Prakash for twenty. But Denham has already caused us damage with his four wickets - and now he is set to do so again. A couple of half-chances go down.
Sue batting at four confuses the bowlers who have to adjust to a slightly more chivalrous style. She and Denham put on thirty-nine for the third wicket. After fifteen overs it's 94-3 and the Ringers are well on course. Denham has been joined by Rayne, who has also hurt us earlier. Praba rings the changes with his bowlers, switching ends, switching styles, but the Presidents are starting to look ragged in the field. Laurence gets a finger-tip to a screamer from Denham - and his finger hurts even more as he types this.
At twenty overs it's 132-3 - just fifty-four needed off ninety balls. Tanzeel finally breaks through, Mike Edwards bruising his palm as he takes a Rayne rocket at mid-off. But at 157-4 it's looking too late. Denham blasts his way past a hundred - and Jason, who has joined him, needs only to farm the strike. The Ringers cross the line with eight overs to spare.
What a difference a week makes. We are well-beaten and chastened. Very well played Ringers - that's some Ringer you've found - a monumental performace from Denham - four wickets for just 22 and a blistering century. Man of the match - we think so. See you again next year.
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