PA* Newswire... Monday July 14, 2014....

(LONDON, UK) Gardeners' winning streak shuddered to a halt in familiar circumstances yesterday at Highgate Woods. An eight-wicket defeat away to Palm Tree was the fifth time in six meetings that GCC have lost to this opponent at this venue, the only exception being the Sutton and Struthers-inspired victory in 2010.

Returning club captain Mike Richards lost the toss and Gardeners were put in on a sticky wicket. Batting at No 3, Richards was the only batsman to prosper, hitting 46 and being the last wicket to fall. The next highest scorer managed a lowly 12 as GCC crawled to 111 all out (scorebook-audited total) in the 36th over, with the Coconuts' answer to Ajmal, Stephen Russell, bagging 5-21.

Bill Wood wasted no time in setting about the victory target in the company of the more watchful Chip Hamer. They had mustered 90 when Wood was caught and bowled by "Geordie" Matty Nicholson for 59 in the 18th over. Nicholson was described as "tasty" for his pace and prowess (and not, it is believed, any resemblance to Cunners) by the Palm Tree Twitter feed. Sources close to GCCHQ wished they saw him more often in Gardeners colours. Hamer fell soon after, bowled by Nick Cunningham, the pick of GCC's attack with figures of 7-2-14-1. There were GCC debuts for Craig May and Klaus Thorpe, the latter taking the gloves. Everyone was home well before the football.

* Persons Anonymous