The Badgers returned to Eymet on a boiling September day. Captain Sam Harrell's poor run with the coin continued and out went Eymet into the field in 33° heat. It was a game of three acts: Battersea's batting collapse, the wag in their tail, and the key first 10 overs of Eymet's reply. Battersea were on a high after chasing down two decent totals against Armagnac and Damazan but had, in retrospect, celebrated their victories a little too heartily on Saturday night.

 Mike Stratilova bowled steadily from one end, with reduced grunting, and Nigel Jones enthusiastically from the other, but the breakthrough came from A.N. Other (known as David Horlock to his friends). Swooping from mid-off, and highly-drilled after a season in the Super Ligue with Bordeaux, David threw down the stumps after the openers had dared a single to him. Minutes later keeper Sam held a fine edge off Nigel and the very next ball Battersea star Mackerall was snaffled by Mike Gear at first slip. After 10 overs the Badgers were wobbling on 40 for 3. A long-haired “fellow” came in, who turned out to be a lady cricketer, and when Nigel struck her on the leg Stratilova was immediately offering her the medical help. On came ultra-slow Bill to frustrate the middle-order. The result was 2 wickets for Bill and further catches for Sam and the deserving Mike. With new boy Stephen Bailey picking up a wicket too, Battersea were in disarray after 20 overs having lost 7 wickets for only 85. Captain Sam was in a dilemma about how to make a game of it. The Badgers moved further towards the abyss as military-medium from Glyn Taylor accounted for two more batsmen. However, the last pair brought the Eymet juggernaut to a halt. Keeper and no.10 Clarke played very straight and ran judiciously while no.11 Thorpe thumped when he could. The result was a frustrating 10th wicket partnership that yielded 46 runs – the highest of the innings. The reliable Terry Bishop brought the curtain down eliciting a smart second stumping from Sam.

With a target of 145 openers Horlock and Gear had time on their side. However, there were some worries that the final partnership of 46 could have an effect on the result. Battersea's quickies bowled with vim and vigour. Morse had an unorthodox and deceptive action, and Mackerall was furious and fired up on all cylinders after his first-ball duck. But David and Mike were rocks and gave no chances to the bowlers. They played watchfully through to 36 off the first ten overs. The sting having been drawn they then proceeded to dissect the bowling as Eymet raced to 101 by the twentieth over. The game was all but over when a tired Mike holed out in the deep for a fine 40 having added 129 with David. The only shame was that David was just short of a deserved hundred finishing on 89 not out.

After one or two graceful speeches the victorious Eymet team celebrated with a case of Italian wine from their sponsors, the PIZZERIA DES ARCADES in Eymet. During the match much banter and sledging had concerned the infamous betting scam but readers may wonder at a few events this season. Surely such scurrilous activity cannot go on in the backstreets of the Bastide, but why have so many Eymet batsmen run themselves out? And why did Angouleme score 91-1 off 10 overs then collapse to 121-6 off 20? And, finally, why did Fabio return to the UK so quickly just before news of the scam broke out? Your faithful reporter is investigating!

RESULT: Eymet win by 9 wickets.

BATTERSEA 145 all out (Clarke 24, Taylor 2-15, Jones 2-26, Rhodes 2-29)

EYMET           146-1 (Horlock 89 n.o , Gear 40)

EYMET: Harrell (capt.), Horlock, Gear, Jones, Hinds, Fabb, Bailey, Rhodes, Stratford, Bishop, Taylor.