It is said that, when asked what the most important trait was for a general to possess, Napoleon Bonaparte replied that he must be lucky. On that measure, perhaps, Warwick’s players may yet earn their marshal’s batons, as they relied very heavily on good fortune to get them across the line against a Bishop Vesey’s side that was, in truth, their superior for much of this contest.

Having won the toss and elected to bat we made rather a slow start. Whilst Dunning and Gupta struck some delightful boundaries, they struggled to rotate the strike and allowed 16 dot balls to accumulate across the first four overs. By the end of the powerplay we had reached 34-0, but it could not be said that we had taken advantage of the fielding restrictions on a good batting strip and a ground with small boundaries and a crisp outfield. After the removal of the opening bowlers, we were able to achieve some acceleration, with the 8th and 10th overs being especially productive, allowing us to reach the halfway stage with 75-0 on the board and the hope of reaching somewhere around the 180-mark. The introduction of Vesey’s two spinners then gummed up the works for a couple of overs, as well as seeing the dismissal of Gupta for a run-a-ball 28 having been trapped in front whilst on the back foot. A healthy partnership developed for the second wicket between Dunning and Evans, though with some confusion over the running that almost led to disaster on a couple of occasions. They put on 38 and were just starting to wind up for a grandstand finish when Evans (15) struck a low full toss back to the bowler who took a sharp chance. From here wickets tumbled regularly and whilst we maintained a run rate of 8.6 across the last five overs this still left us rather light of where we ought to have been. Wye lasted just two balls before holing out to deep midwicket for one. Grundy struck a steepling catch that was securely pouched at cover in the next over having also added just one to the total. Dunning, who had accelerated steadily after a slow start (though riding his luck given he was dropped three times) fell in the 18th over for 68 off 56 deliveries, trapped in front by the leg spinner, which left Thomas (13* from 8) and Downes (10* from 8) to see us to a respectable, but under-par total of 156-5.

We started enthusiastically in the field, but that enthusiasm dipped considerably as BVGS got off to a flier. Their opening pair of Jaglan and Sivaraj struck the ball crisply to the boundary whenever opportunity presented, whilst good balls were mostly worked effectively for singles: an object lesson to our batsmen in manipulating the field. In truth we made their lives easier. We bowled too many wide balls and the fielding was deeply underwhelming for an A team, with basics like backing up, positioning to save one or four, and getting to the wicket at the non-striker’s end not being carried out with sufficient diligence. Wye had been unable to continue his excellent bowling of the previous two games, going for 25 off his two overs. Grundy’s two over opening burst was better, conceding 14, but Dunlop’s first two conceded 16 and Page’s three went for 27, meaning that our spinners had not managed to exert the kind of control that BVGS had achieved in the middle overs. Vesey’s had reached 87-0 at the half-way mark and looked to be cruising to victory when a Deus ex machina arrived to give us unexpected hope. It was revealed that Sivaraj, who had powered his way to 37 off 30 without offering a chance had to get a bus! He retired and their number three county batsman followed on his coattails for the same reason. Suddenly the game looked live again, but could we take advantage of this opportunity? Initially it did not seem so. Gupta was bowling well, but his first three overs went wicketless, though only conceding 17. Grundy was brought back on, but his third over gave away nine runs and BVGS still needed just 49 from 7 overs – 7runs/over with plenty of wickets in hand. But then the breakthrough came. From the final ball of his final over Grundy (4-0-28-1) got the number three, toe-ending a lofted drive that lobbed securely into the hands of Page. It was a needlessly aggressive shot with six runs having already come off the over, but it now opened up a free end for us to target the less-capable lower middle order. Gupta decided that now was the time to tighten the screw. Dunlop returned and the 15th over went for just four runs, but the opener, Jaglan, was still there and batting well. The ball was thrown to Evans, fresh from his two wickets on Saturday, and he started really tightly. Just two runs were conceded from his first four balls and the psychological pressure was clearly starting to build. Despite the time and wickets available Jaglan clearly concluded that he needed to put his foot down. He charged Evans and attempted to drive him over cover to the short boundary, but he failed to get enough on it. Page was once again the man under it, and Page was once again secure in taking his second crucial catch of the match. Evans concluded the excellent over with two more dots and suddenly the game had swung in our favour – two new batsmen and 38 needed off 24 balls: 9.5/over. Gupta (4-0-19-1) brought himself back on for his final over and took another wicket with his first ball, a big swing and a small nick through to the keeper. Perhaps more importantly he conceded just four runs: 34 from 18 balls needed: 11.33/over. Evans was excellent again, conceding just two runs and a couple of leg byes and now BVGS were really under the cosh, needing 30 from the final two overs. This was no doubt a major factor in the attempt to run two from the first ball of Dunlop’s final over (4-0-32-0) and, for once, our ground fielding was good enough: we had a run out to further increase the pressure. Even with 12 coming from the over Vesey’s would need something mammoth off the last six balls to get home now. Evans (3-0-8-1) kept a calm head and bowled a fantastic final over at the death, conceding just four runs and not giving the opposition a scent of victory. From a situation where we looked to be crashing toward defeat, we had somehow pulled off a remarkable victory. Luck played a huge role, but we needed to take advantage of the fortune we received, and our tenacity across the final overs was an encouraging sign of what we have the potential to achieve if we can put right some of the other aspects of our game.

Man-of-the-match: Dunning for 68 runs to provide the backbone of our innings. Honourable mention to Evans who bowled brilliantly at the death.

Champagne moment: Page’s catch off Evans to dismiss the opener and swing the game in our favour.

Get out of jail free moment – Vesey’s two best batsmen having to catch a bus!