Good Day Gentlemen!

In time honoured fashion, I have prepared a suitable battle plan for this evening's fixture (see attached).

In this document, you will each find your particular responsibilities for the task ahead.

Please print, memorise the information and then destroy this document immediately (if not sooner)!

If we win the toss, I intend to bat first and set a target for Newbury to chase. I believe that we are supremely equipped to defend any total and that we are more comfortable playing the game this way.

If we do bat first, then I always think we should be able to score at one a ball minimum (which should mean at least 120 on the board not accounting for wides and no balls).

Runs do not have to come from boundaries and running well between wickets will be of paramount importance.

Anstey and Britton in particular tend to bowl just short of a length and make straight driving difficult (something our bowlers should bear in mind). Not a problem, be prepared to push the ones and twos, disrupt their line and length and then punish the bad ball.

There is no need to throw wickets away early on - the top eight batsmen are all individually capable of destroying the oppositions attack provided they bat for eight or ten overs and that there is no pressure from wickets tumbling at the other end.

Billy will open the innings with the dashing Phil and I would like both Rak and Oz padded up ready from the outset. In the event of losing an early wicket Oz will replace Billy and Rak will replace Phil.

This will maintain the left hand, right hand balance and each batsman will compliment the style of the outgoing batsman well.

If (as expected), we get off to a flier, Rak will go in at No.3.

I would like Billy and/or Oz to look to bat through the fifteen overs and score 50 runs (i.e three an over average) - whilst making sure that the hitters get plenty of the strike.

If we have to bowl first, then I would look to restrict the opposition to somewhere between 8 and 9 runs per over, looking to put pressure on from the start.

The top order batsmen at Newbury (Duncan, Anstey and Leatt particularly) are well capable of hitting out so bowlers must be vigilant on line (off-stupm or just outside, no width - we should all be able to bowl three or four overs with no wides) and length (just short).

Restrict the number of boundaries and the pressure will build. Make inroads into the top order and we can then bring that overall run rate down to 6 or 7 runs per over or less.

Whilst I have planned to use the minimum four bowlers at this stage, we are lucky in that we have JP Moore and Billy as cover, if required. If I feel that that batsmen ae getting too comfortable with any of the bowlers I can easily introduce either of these two into the attack.

This is only a fifteen over match, so at all times fielders should be aware of what is happening and make sure that they are attacking the ball and backing up when not in direct play. I do not expect to see any overthrows.

I want to hear a lot of chat and encouragement - focus on the positives of our game (ignore theirs) at all times! This is an eleven man effort and bowlers in particular will want the soild support of all the team.

We are all key to the success of the team and we make formidable opposition!

Enjoy the match, don't get involved with the opposition or the umpires at any stage and be confident of both your own and the team's ability to win!

This is all just basic stuff but I don't want us to turn up at the game without having had a think about things or having any idea of what the game plan is.

There is no room for anyone underestimating the opposition at all!

That said, man for man I think we pack a stonger punch and if we apply ourselves accordingly, another final at Brownsfields awaits!

God Bless Us All!

Ra Ra Thatcham!