This week’s correspondent is the new third eleven strength and conditioning coach Richard Lalor and judging by Barney's pulling and cutting the strict regime he has been putting the team through is beginning to pay dividends. Please note some of the content has had to be edited to enable publication without calling in the lawyers…..
Body armour at the ready, Teddington 3s headed away to face fellow table toppers Ealing. The home side won the toss and elected to bat first.
Ned LP and Thorndyke justifiably weren't interested in hanging around, and kicked off proceedings with 3 early poles. Nick McLellan and Fergus 'the' King dried up the runs, with the opposition’s pursuit of runs similar to Emile Heskey's great goal drought of 2007, with wickets falling at both ends. Gabe 'Andy Carroll' Henry came on and tidied up the tail.
*Ealing 3rd XI 135 all out*
Jasper Smallwood and Barnaby Heap, two of the most unfamiliar names west of Hammersmith, opened up the batting and serenely made their way to 70. In what was perhaps the most controversial decision of the evening, new signing Smallwood, was given lbw trying to turn one round the corner, and with Jasper gone, the protagonists switched as Barney started teeing off to all parts, 110-1 (25 to win). Then it happened. Sogani, his leg spin varieties casting a spell over the Teddington batsmen, ripped through the Teddington line up with a spell of 5-15 off 7.4 overs. Never in doubt, TCC crept over the line with 2 wickets in hand.
*TCC 3rd XI 136-8. Win by two wickets*
We travelled to the depths of Harlington, the equivalent of Istanbul away in the Champions league, and came back to Bushy Park with a cushy 10 points. The 3s victory train goes marching on.