After an enthralling Easter Day clash at North London CC, where fortunes ebbed and flowed between one side and the other, it was the Battersea Bohemians who emerged on top. In baking hot sunny conditions, Spencer proved again that he is indeed an excellent tosser as he called correctly and opted to bat first. However, the Strollers innings once again got off to a faltering start with George run out in the first over and the rest of the top order doing little more to trouble the scorers as wickets tumbled, leaving the side 33-3 when Big Gav stepped up to the crease.

Joining Tim Sturm, who looked in decent fettle, the two batsmen worked to settle the innings and were going well until Tim took a big heave down the wrong line and was bowled for 21. However, Gav was seeing the ball very well and, in a concerted effort to avoid running, decided to deal almost exclusively in boundaries as he took on the Bohemians' attack with an array of powerful offside strokes and straight drives. At the other end, wickets fell periodically but, undeterred, Gav ploughed on and with a big six over midwicket brought up his maiden Strollers half century (just 8 years in the making — Ed). Finally on 57, having hit 9 fours and 2 sixes, Gav's customary 'out shot' (aka rubbish hoik across the line) made it's appearance, Kelly knocked over his stumps and the big man headed back to the pavilion having pushed the Strollers score up to 154-8.

But this was far from the end of the story as Jez who, until then, had offered stoic defence in support of Gav, opened his shoulders to reveal a hitherto unseen arsenal of big shots, despatching the ball to all parts. With Harry Brown at the other end also working the ball cleverly and quickly, the Bohemians were visibly rattled as the total edged up to an unlikely 200. With Kelly eventually dismissing Brown Jnr for 17, Rob Davies took on the role of supporting batsman as Jez continued his onslaught and, with a glorious six, took the Strollers tally over the 200 mark to many cheers on the boundary. Having made the opposition toil in the field for all of their 40 overs, Jez finished on a personal best 42 not out and the innings closed on 204-9 and the Strollers took tea now sniffing victory.

That victory seemed even more on the cards as Harry, handed the new ball by Spencer, bowled an excellent line and tore through the Bohemians top two to howls of glee from his team mates. James had less success bowling from the top end, with his errant run up causing him to frequently no ball, but his replacement Rob Davies collected the wicket of Leece, with Graeme showing lightning reactions at point to grab an excellent catch. Shortly afterwards, Graeme himself claimed the wicket of Huddlestone with Spencer taking an astonishingly nonchelant boundary catch at long off, leaving the Bohemians reeling at 43-4.

However, in a manner curiously mirroring the Strollers innings, the Bohemians middle order quickly righted their ship as Meier and Whyte worked to get their scorecard ticking over again, the latter surviving a scare when Kieron made a valiant attampt to take a diving catch at slip, insodoing knackering his shoulder. Whyte took full advantage of his extra life and began to see the ball like a football. The Strollers skipper brought himself into the attack but was bemused to watch Whyte smack three successive straight sixes over his head in a potentially game changing over and reach his fifty in just 17 balls.

Meier also was getting in on the act and, as the two Bohemian batsmen piled on a hundred partnership, was heading for his own half century until Harry was reintroduced to the attack and had him trapped LBW for 44. But Whyte, sensing victory, was in determined mood and blasted on with only the loss of Harstop, caught by Spencer off Rob at mid on, and some accurate bowling late in the day from Paul Bowstead stemming his flow of runs. But it was too little too late as Whyte kept his head and, with another powerful six over mid off, took the Bohemians total both over the 200 mark and over the winning line, bringing to a close a gripping game.

So the Strollers search for the first win of the 2011 campaign continues, but with two personal bests in the batting display and some good bowling from messrs Brown Jnr, Davies and Bowstead there are seeds of promise for the season ahead.