Chiswick Hall is a beautiful place, with a beautiful cricket ground. It is now the site of a beautiful Gradcasts CC victory.

We turned up with ten players, including four debutants. Memories of our hiding to St Anne’s Allstars last year were annoyingly fresh, and if I’m honest, I didn’t hold out much hope of avoiding a repeat.

We nevertheless took to the field in good humour, nervous energy abounding and keenly watched by Barry, our very own superfan.

The early bowling signs were promising. Debutant Adam displayed a pace that we’ve lacked this year. And Ollie Coulson’s distinctive style was doing its usual trick of confusing the batters.

Runs were being scored, but not quite at the rate of last year, and the odd aerial shot kept us interested. I started to think we’d at least get our money’s worth out of the ground hire.

Then St. Anne's wickets started to fall. Adam clean bowled the first. Runs began to dry up. More wickets were taken by fellow debutant Imran, whose spin was proving highly effective (dangerous, even), and Geri was his usual tidy self behind the stumps. 

The promising debuts continued. Ed, who said beforehand he wasn’t sure “what would come out” when he tried bowling, got involved in the wickets column during a threatening spell. And our fourth debutant, Rich, kept things tight and finished the innings off with a wicket of his own.

Through the course of things, the old hands got involved as well. Mark found himself on a hat-trick at one stage, prompting the kind of aggressive field placings you only really see in cartoons. Gav didn’t take any wickets, but didn’t give up runs either.

Add in some energetic fielding and some impressive catching (mainly by Imran), and we came off the field satisfied with our efforts.

A target of 150 to win was set. A nice round number, but one that seemed a long way off once our innings opened to the sound of tumbling wickets. St Anne’s bowled very well indeed; sheer pace at one end, and actual real-life swing at the other.

A steadying hand was needed. Step forward David. He looked characteristically worried between every delivery. But when the ball was being bowled, his instincts and ability took over. He dealt with everything St Anne’s threw at him.

Imran joined him, and a partnership of 39 got the crowd (i.e. Barry) interested. But when David finally fell for 43, the Gradcasts were 85 for 6, and had only three more wickets in hand. Things once again looked bleak.

This is where things get awkward, and modesty gets in the way of reportage. So I’ll keep things factual.

Imran and I settled in, and a partnership grew. St Anne’s brought back their opening bowlers, but the runs still came. By the time I managed to get out LBW for 30, 63 runs had been added, and we only needed two more in an over and a half for the win.

In stepped birthday boy and superstar wicket keeper Geri. I’m not saying I got out on purpose so that Geri could come in and hit the winning runs on his birthday. But I’m not saying I didn’t, either.

The fact is that Geri faced one ball, which he saw away for two runs. It may even have been four, but we all stopped watching after they ran two and the win was assured.

Smiles and hugs all around. Another grand outing in the books. And at least when we next get whopped by St Anne’s, we’ll still be able to remember this beautiful day at Chiswick House.