The week leading up to the tournament was full of trepidation for the Broadway boys. No one had played T10 before and no-one knew the rules. E-mails were flying around suggesting all sorts of things, one even suggested that Fitz should bring his heavy bat - the fact that anyone was considering that Fitz should be allowed to bat was worrying to the rest of us.

With the team finalised by Broadway's own Andrew Strauss (Bonnie) and the rules extracted from the tournament organiser, it was left to Ade himself to provide the MFB with a worry. Not since Simon Jones was ruled out of the last Ashes test in 2005 has a potential absence caused such worry to his team mates, but rumour had it that the Bon-ster had to "do some work" and would be missing. Panic rose in the MFB camp. Who would lift the cup when the MFB inevitably kicked arse on Sunday? - it couldn't be Trewin - still weak from his bout of Swine Flu - but luckily for us, if not for Julie, who would spend another freezing cold day in a cricket field, Ade "did his work" instead of watching the test on Sky Player and made himself available.

So to the tournament, it would work like this. Broadway would take on the hosts (Blackheath Asian Forum CC) in the first game, before taking on Greenwich Community CC in the second. The other two teams would then play after tea. The top two teams would then contest the final - for the coveted trophy.

Bonnie won the toss and put Blackheath into bat, citing the well known tactic of "We ain't gotta clue what a good score is, so let them show us!" Walsh and Tanner opened the bowling and looked to take early wickets. Opening bats Sandip and Usman had other ideas and a quick start put Broadway on the back foot. Half way through the second over a Steve Tanner long hop was smacked down Liam's throat at Short Fine Leg, Sandip was gone, for 3 and the MFB celebrated their first T10 wicket.

This brought Nishant to the crease. He took a liking to Mant's in-swingers and moved serenely into the 20's. With good support from Usman, BAFCC were looking good. Murdoch bowled economically in the circumstances, going for 16 off 2 overs and had a big LBW shout against Nishant turned down by the umpire. Fitz, afraid to bowl the floater for fear of being smacked into oblivion, was taken for 23 and Tanner's last over was smashed for 17. Mant picked up Usman's wicket off the last ball, a good catch by Steve Tanner - BAFCC had smashed the MFB all over the place for 107 for 2 from 10 overs.

Bloody hell! Broadway wished they were somewhere else at this point, baring in mind last week we struggled to 122 from 40 overs, now we needed 108 from 10! But Straussy had a plan. "I'll open with Adam" he proclaimed in a move reminicent of Thurman's '3 pinch hitters' plan from 2007. 

His Lordship struggled to lay bat on ball in the first over and was out without scoring, bowled by Aman. The newly arrived MacNeill and Langford put on 6 for the second wicket, before Langford skied one to the keeper - Broadway struggling on 6 for 2, and Aman had figures of 2 for 3 off 2 overs. Liam, promoted up the order to provide quick runs after a couple of good knocks in recent weeks faced 6 balls, offering the first (and perhaps last) T10 TV leave to one delivery before his stumps were splattered for a duck.

Taner and MacNeill then added 10 for the next wicket before Steve was out. Regular opener and Batsman of the Year Simon was next in, somewhat aggreaved that his talents had been overlooked. He and Rory added a few for the 5th wicket, before Simon was out Stumped after scoring 10. Trewin was next in, but also next out, a golden for the Vice, bowled by Nishant. Lloyd and MacNeill managed to add 19 for the 7th wicket, mostly in wides bowled by young Zane, before Nishant clean bowled MacNeill for 10 from 21 balls. Murdoch joined Lloyd and took a suicidal single off the last ball to get the MFB to 51 for 7 from their 10 overs...only 58 short of victory. It looked bleak for the MFB.

There was no time to dwell on this however, as we were next up against Greenwich Community CC in the second game. A victory here was a must for the MFB, who were looking to avoid having to watch what looked a hopeless task for England in saving the 1st Test in Cardiff. Once again the oppo batted first. This time there was no fireworks from the batting side and some tight bowling and good fielding put the MFB in charge. A wicket each for Tanner and Mant before Hamilton stole the show with three scalps, the first a good catch by Murdoch at Fine Leg, followed by a sharp stumping from MacNeill and a good catch from Trigger.

Murdoch scored the first run out of his MFB career off the last ball, a direct hit to dismiss Cordwell and that was that, Greenwich Community could only must 41 from their 10 overs. Surely the MFB could knock them off and give them a chance of the final.

Langford decided to go with a more conventional batting line up this time and Trewin carried his bat for 12 not out with fine support from Triggs, Lloyd, Bonnie and Adam, the MFB reached their target from 7.5 overs for the loss of 3 wickets.

Before the MFB knew whether they were in the final they had an agonising wait as tea was up next before the other two sides met in the final group game. However, before that was the PR stuff. Confident from their crushing win over the MFB in the first game and having insider knowledge of the Greenwich Community side, Blackheath were confident of winning the cup, so had their picture taken with it, celebrating a win that hadn't happened yet. This was noted by the MFB, who, if they got a chance to take to the field in the final would be looking to upset the hosts.

After a decent tea, the MFB decided that a game of football was the way to go. Highlights included Fitz "Emile Heskey" Hamilton bursting through the defence holding a packet of doritos and some David Seaman like goalkeeping from Steve Tanner. Obviously, with the MFB invloved, it was competitive, and at one point Mant thought his luck was in (or out?) as he was humped by Langford and Hamilton, alas, the Colster wriggled free. The result was somewhat in dispute, but who is going to argue with Daniella "Karate Kid" Langford's proclamation that Liam and Colin are losers and that we won 8-5?

Oh yes, the final group game, I hear you ask. Well Blackheath batted first and hit 101 for 6. Greenwich needing 22 off the last over fell short by 19 runs, so the MFB were in the final - would they make Blackheath rue their earlier celebrations?

Broadway won the toss again, and this time elected to bat, bouyed by the news that Jimmy and Monty had saved the first test against Whinging Ponting and Co, Triggs and Trewin went out to bat with much to do. Trewin hit his first ball for 4, happy to be off a pair, but lasted no longer - bowled by Aman, who was obviously a threat. This brought Michaels to the wicket, if ever the MFB needed a big innings from their premier batsman this was the time. He didn't last long however, although longer than he could have done, as we all though he was strangely run out after the ball deflected off him and hit the stumps. Michaels was off, however was called back and given not out, great we all though, before he was bowled by Aman at the beginning of the next over.

MacNeill and Langford offered good support to Triggs but it was Dan Lloyd who supplied the backbone to the innings, hitting 11 from 12 balls to support Si's 27 not out, Broadway had posted thier best score of the day, 65 for 4 from 10 overs. The MFB would still have to bowl well to take home the trophy.

Langford decided to change tactics for the final and opened up with Walsh and Murdoch, Walsh picked up two wickets, including the star of the earlier victory for Blackheath, Nishant for a duck. Murdoch bowled tightly, only going for 10 from his 2 overs and having 2 big LBW appeals turned down. Mant came into the attack and picked up a wicket, before another one for Hamilton and another run out from Murdoch put the MFB in control. At the halfway stage BAFCC were 16/5.

Then, just as Broadway were thinking of victory, the tide turned, Hamilton was dispatched for a four and a six, a tight run out call went Blackheath's way and Steve was the victim of the worst peice of umpiring seen since Fitz gave The Note out bat before wicket, as the Blackheath batsman called a wide against his bowling. Surely Blackheath weren't going to secure the trophy in such a dubious fashion.

The Colster bowled well and Rory pouched two chances, excercising the ghost of the previous season and it was left to the last over of the innings, bowled by Fitzroy. 15 were needed. It was 50-50, a good over and it was ours, some loose bowling and some big hitting, which we knew from the first game, they were well capable of, and the dream was over.

After the first leg-side wide of the match, Fitz responded with a couple of cracking deliveries, and just like that bowling hero Aman was stumped by lightning hands MacNeil and the MFB were victorious by 12 runs. Players ran in from everywhere, Fitz was mobbed, The MFB were once again winners and the premature celebrations from the hosts had come back to haunt them!

All that was left to do, was the presentation ceremony. Simon Triggs' 27* earned him a medal for Batsman of the Final, and (somehow) Darryl Murdoch was awarded a medal for best bowler, depsite not taking a wicket - Bonnie graciously accepted the trophy from the losing skipper, and Broadway were left to celebrate by going over to the bar at Shooters and proclaiming "WHO'S THE BEST TEAM AT MAYDAY GARDENS???? THE MOTHER FUCKING BROADWAY" WINNERS!

 

Adrian Langford collects the T10 Trophy from the losing skipper

The Broadway CC Squad celebrate thier win in the T10 Tournament