No Bungle, no Hebb and no Stonewall meant a big shuffle around in the first team this week with Tichie, Splinter and Piewalker all making guest appearances in the squad. A correct call for the flip saw Blubbs fielding and Frankie fuming as Sherman invited the home side to bat on probably the best square in the division, it was going to be one of those days...........again.

Frankie opened up at the Big Field End and the days play got under way for game four of the season, a quiet first over finished and Gobby took over number two from the Pavilion End with Tichie fielding at mid-on for support. Drama first ball of his spell when Eustace nicked one to first slip, unfortunately first slip today was Sherman who was still chatting to stand in keeper Angry about the field placement and the catch went down and so did the distraught captains head.

Leonard got off to a good start with regular boundaries on the "glass like" outfield and it looked like Blubbs would be chasing a big total after Leonard had finished with the visitors bowling attack. Gobby finally got his man with the score on forty seven when Eustace tried to pull one off middle and missed, up went the finger and Gobby was relieved it wasn't a catch to Sherman.

Gobby finished off another good spell and Sherman brought himself into the attack, tossing down more cannon fodder at the Leonard batsmen as the home team moved towards the hundred mark. Wray was next to depart, missing an unusual straight delivery from Sherman and Leonard were ninety three for two but Blubbs still had a battle on their hands.

Six runs later Sherman struck again removing Thirkell for one then dangerman Stansfield was given leg before for sixty six and the chaotic captain had three in the bag as Leonard were reduced to one twenty for four. 

Sherman looked to Splinter for backup after Frankie decided nine overs was enough and the veteran joiner turned over his "golden arm" for the first time this season, looking like he'd never been away. 

Frankies faith in the captain was restored a little when in the thirty first over the heavens opened up and down came the rain, the worried homeside looked like finishing the innings on one thirty as the covers went on and Blubbs were looking at four an over for the run chase.

Eventually the sky cleared, the covers went off and play resumed, the game reduced to thirty eight overs and Sherman knew Leonard would playing the remainder of their innings with a long handle.

Blaken and Crawshaw returned to the crease and the runs once again started to flow, Sherman eventually bagged number four cleaning up Crawshaw for thirteen and it was one forty six for five but Blaken was still smashing the two weary bowlers round the park.

Two overs to go and Bubba got the nod from the skipper, bowling a tight line and Leonard struggled to put bat on ball only managing four from the over, Sherman tried to bowl his thirteenth over but Leonard pointed it out to the umpire and Piewalker was tossed the ball for the last over.

A scrambled single and Blaken was back on strike, the fearless Piewalker launched down the bamboozler, Blaken only succeeded in chipping the ball to Bupa and Leonard were one eighty eight for six, Angry secured Piewalkers second wicket with a stumping from a wide and Piewalker made it three knocking over Carass' stumps as Leonard finished the innings on one ninety eight for eight.

Bupa opened up the inning with Angry and tight bowling from the Leonard attack made it hard work for the Blubbs openers to score runs, Angry finally getting off the mark twelve overs into the innings with a top edge over the slips.

Blubbs lost wicket number one when Bupa was given his marching orders after missing a straight one from Murray which it was decided would have gone on to hit the stumps and it was twenty six for one.

Bubba was next to go seven runs later, another leg before which might have hit the stumps on the next track and Angry started to simmer.

Arnie joined the bubble-o-meter in the middle and things started to look up for the visitors as third wicket partnership slowly chipped away at the Leonard total and Blubbs started to take control of the game. Thirty nine more runs were added before Burtwhistle sent down "the beach ball" to Arnie who could do little with it but play it straight back to the bowler and it was seventy two for three.

Pepperami newly promoted to five took to the crease and it was an all too familiar sight for Angry as the dreaded "Peking Pack of Cards" syndrome set in, Pepperami skittled for one, closely followed by Mad Frankie for four and Blubbs were staring down the barrel of defeat for the second time of the season.

Sherman joined Angry as the steam started to rise from the "o-meter", another twenty were added to the total but Angry's counselling was all to no avail when Sherman skied one straight to long off and it was one hundred and one for six with Gobby next up for Blubbs and Angry was really starting to boil.

Angry finally fell to Blaken, stumped, bowled, caught behind and leg before all in the same delivery and with Blubbs still twenty five short of the point things weren't looking good and Sherman was looking at another fruitless result from the game.

Splinter was next to leave the crease when Dallas held on to the finest of nicks and it was one twenty for eight, with only Piewalker and Tichie left to bat Leonard were on the hunt for a maximum six points.

Good batting from Piewalker and Gobby edged Blubbs past the two thirds mark and with only four overs to go Sherman felt confident he would walk away with at least one point from the game. Eight balls to go and disaster struck, Piewalker caught for four and it was all down to Gobby and Tichie to save the day. Despite his best efforts to get his old man out Gobby came through the hero on an unbeaten thirteen and Tichie undefeated on nought had saved Blubbs from complete embarrassment. Angry was still simmering away in the changing rooms but Sherman knew that Stella would fix that problem.

With only nine points from twenty four Sherman knew something had to change, he had no idea what but he knew it was something. 

Points Awarded Burton Leonard:5, Blubberhouses:1