So near yet so far – again!  That’s probably what all Rosaneri fans and players are thinking today after another frustrating defeat against their arch rivals The Cotswolds.

The game had all the hallmarks of previous games with some good individual performances but just not enough from the collective to get the ‘Pinks’ over the line.

Berry and his team marched onto the hallowed Lincoln Road turf looking to overturn their first ever home defeat in the series.  And this time he knew he had some big weapons up his sleeve.

The game started well for both sides with RCC creating some good chances from Paul’s excellent bowling but the batsmen being able to survive and taking advantage of the odd wayward delivery and streaky boundary.

Paul made the initial break through but a rapid fifty partnership threatened to take the game away from the home side.

Shell turned to Stephen and Darren and between them they hauled Rosaneri back into the game until the tide turned again when The Cotswolds ‘new’ player struck an excellent half century and rallied his team from 150 for seven to a good looking but not too formidable 213 all out off of 35.2 overs.

Tea was a pleasant affair with some homemade cakes supplementing the nice Enfield tea.

After some discussions about using a pinch hitter to get the home team off to a good the crowd were struck dumb when the normally over cautious Big Mike took the big hitting role upon himself and took the opening attack to the cleaners.  Big Mike and Mr. Bell kept the ‘Pinks’ well up with the run rate and put on seventy for the first wicket.  Mr. Bell and Ian were then undone by the pace bowling of the ‘new’ player and the runs started to tail off and the run rate began to climb.

Slaps and Darren got the scoreboard moving again along with Big Mike, who eventually holed out on the deep point boundary for a well-made 82.

The lower middle order struck some hefty blows including a big six from ‘The Terminator’ off of Berry but with only two wickets left and six balls remaining, 17 runs were still required.

But the shrewd opposition captain had held his ace card up his sleeve and with first ball of the final over dismissed the ‘Pinks’ main hope Darren for a fluent 28 but then four byes from the next ball gave the hosts an outside chance but the game was wrapped up when Paul fell to a great Yorker from the games main man.