The final match of 2008 ended with a proper whooping from a very skilled Sawbridgeworth team in glorious autumn sunshine.

We may have been thoroughly beaten, but the banter, tea and surroundings made it a brilliant day out. The opposition were a great bunch and even made us feel better about our non show in the competition stakes. A top day, but the result was a million miles away.

The day started well with Jim winning the toss, and he promptly asked the home team to bat. Kiwi Graham hit the mark from the very first ball, and after the first over things looked ok.

Marcus took the new ball at the other end and bowled like Steve Harmison in the last Ashes series. It wasn’t his first ball, but one did end up straight in the hands of slip similar to the England pace man. He bravely came back for a second spell later in the day, but it wasn’t his day.

Ben Underwood came into the attack and bowled a great spell to take two wickets. Kiwi Graham picked up a deserved wicket and when Jim and Bones combined for a run out Sawbridgeworth were pushed back onto the ropes at 78 for 4. But that was as good as it got in the field. The next pair put on 130 to put Rosaneri to the sword.

Kiwi Graham picked up two more wickets in a nice second spell and the home team declared on 249 for 6.

In truth the bowling side of things was not that bad and the fielding was excellent throughout.

Rosaneri fans never really had hope of chasing down 249, but respectability was a possibility. The innings started well with Mike and Ben looking good, but once the first wicket went the rest soon followed.

Kiwi Graham offered resistance and accumulated 23 before playing a poor shot to give his wicket away. Bones and Jim hung around for a while, but once that partnership was broken even a poor draw looked a long way away.

The end came very quickly and Rosaneri were all out for a poor 72 in 25 overs.