RAF defeated by clinical British Police team in 50-over tussle at Vine Lane
The Royal Air Force men's cricketers have been beaten by the British Police in a 50-over clash at Uxbridge.
The sides met at Vine Lane as part of the British Police’s tour of the UK, which involved a six-wicket victory over the Army at Aldershot just a day before.
The RAF won the toss at their home ground and opted to bat on a fresh morning, helped by some early wayward bowling and dropped catches.
The green tinged surface showed signs of variable bounce from ball one and it was not long before police bowler Hayden Tice had RAF opener Tom Berzins chipping the ball straight to the cover fielder.
But the Air Force batsmen began to accelerate the scoring, helped by some crisp offside strokes from Ross Diver and some powerful slog sweeps courtesy of Adam Fisher at the other end, finding the foliage beyond the boundary.
No sooner had Diver reached 50, than the Police's Sam Packer got himself in the wickets, prising Diver out with the help of Sam Baugh at long off with the score on 121-2.
RAF skipper Tom Shorthouse was then caught by his opposite number Tom Knight at slip off the bowling of Stuart Drakeley, with the home team on 124-3.
Left arm spinner Baugh came on to bowl in the 30th over and the bowling change worked a treat as Adam Sutcliffe was dismissed off his first ball for 10, keeping the RAF in check at 150 for 4.
When Adam Fisher, eyeing up a century, was caught off the bowling of Drakeley, the RAF were still three runs short of 200 at the fall of the fifth wicket.
The British Police continued to chip away with wickets and Will Evans summoned first rate acrobatics to see off Thomas Stephan. The RAF were soon after dismissed for 222 in the 49th over.
The Police made their intentions crystal clear at the beginning of their response, with crunching drives finding the boundary rope with ease.
But the RAF then had their man - a definite noise, which the umpire deemed an outside edge, much to the batsman's disbelief to leave the score on 58 for 1.
The wicket may have appeared to be sluggish at times, but that didn’t stop the Police's batsmen from finding their range.
Gary Knight was dismissed with the score on 92, but skipper Tom Knight and Ed Hyde put on a stand of 120 to settle any nerves the visitors may have had, with just 10 to win.
There would be a final twist, with both men dismissed before the end - first Hyde, then the skipper with the scores tied.
That left Nick Barker to score the winning runs, but he did not have to, as four byes were all his side needed.
Barker was watched on by his parents, who'd travelled from West Yorkshire to see the British Police beat the RAF by six wickets.
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