Department of Business and Trade

20th May 2025 - Alexandra Palace
Won by 37 runs - NRR = 1.85

The opening game of 2025 was against a new opponent, the Department for Business and Trade. The ink was barely dry on trade deals with the US, EU and India, so it was CIPA CITMA's job to bring them back down to reality.

This plan got off to a bad start with our 8 players becoming 7 merely 24 hours before the game. Thankfully, the age old tradition of gathering ringers worked a charm and both sides arrived with 10.

Ally Pally was looking gorgeous as always, and the pitch had benefited from a historically dry spring meaning the roller was able to flatten it out (unlike the historically wet spring of 2024). The unseasonably even bounce, short boundaries and missing fielder meant runs for CIPA came easily despite regular wickets falling. A very decent 171 was posted.

CIPA CITMA's bowling started exceptionally, a tight first over by Ollie Stocks, and a first ball wicket for Nick Watermeyer got the team thinking of an early finish. However, there was no such luck as DfBT's no. 3 came in, and departed in a matter of minutes having reached his 25. Another batter had an almost identical innings and suddenly things were looking a bit glum. Thankfully, Krishna produced some characteristically tight bowling, to stifle the run rate. The scoreboard pressure induced risky running, which Matt Webb capitalised on by producing a pinpoint throw from the boundary.

The game was in our grasp and despite what seemed to be a tactical LBW decision to bring back their retirees, it was too little to late and CIPA CITMA wrapped up the win, Ollie Stocks taking a catch on the boundary in the dark on the very last ball of the match.

All in all an enjoyable game against a very sporting opposition who will no doubt appear on our fixture list regularly from now on.

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