A Gnome team lacking many of its regular players scored a heartening win over Oz House at Queens on Sunday. Stars of the show were Fenton and Chris Lear, whose fourth-wicket partnership hauled Gnome to a respectable total, together with a crucial burst from Anton to account for two top Aussie batsman.

Gnome were inserted after apologetic skipper John Dunthorne lost the toss. After four overs Gnome were 14 for 2, with John and Butters both caught behind, Butters off the faintest of touches which was detected by bat-eared umpire Mike Vandrau. Fenton and England batsman/wicket-keeper Claire Taylor, one of four players recruited from the Lemmings, played cautiously at first. Claire was looking assured when she too was caught behind while chasing a wide one, scoring 22.

With Gnome 59 for 3 after 15 overs, the crucial partnership began. Fenton continued to play circumspectly, notching just 15 off his first 47 balls. But with Chris scoring more fluently, they continued to move the score along at four-plus per over. Then Fenton accelerated, clobbering two enormous sixes in the direction of the river over mid-wicket. The partnership stood at 116 when Fenton was bowled for 66 trying to hit a third six, ending a responsible and stylish innings that is among the best he has played for Gnome. Chris was batting just as impressively until he was bowled for 67, just two runs short of his highest Gnome score.

At the start of the innings a gloomy John Dunthorne had said he would settle for 180. The score was now 185 for 5 in the 37th over and with Anton at the crease, anything was possible. Sadly Anton was caught in the covers for 4, but the three remaining Lemmings batsmen, plus Mike Vandrau with 18, took the total to a competitive 236 off Gnome's 45 overs.

The Aussie reply got off to a sticky start, a diving catch at mid-on by Pete Gillman off Lemmings quickie Jim Baker accounting for Aussie opener B Crocker in the first over. After a 20-minute stoppage for rain, Jim took a second wicket, a smart slip catch by Chris Lear, to reduce the Aussies to 10-2 off 4 overs. The Aussie number 2 S Dickinson began to cut loose, mostly at the expense of Pete Gillman, lifting Oz House to 54-2 off 15. Then came the crucial over by Anton, who produced two brilliant cut-backs to dismiss Dickinson for 45 and Aussie number 4 S Thomas for 5. At the end of his 9-over spell Anton had 2-23.

Oz House skipper Paul Johnstone was still there, batting with assurance until he hit a leg-side full toss from Pete to Butters at long-on. Chris took a second sharp catch at slip off Pete, who next had an lbw to give him three wickets in 8 balls, finishing with a respectable 3-43 off his nine. With Mike Vandrau chipping in with a wicket, Oz House were reeling at 101-8 off 29.

Oz House number 10 R Calnon struck back with a flurry of 4s and 6s, profiting from dropped catches in the deep and lifting the score to 158 off 35. At that point the Aussies needed 79 off the last ten. But then Butters had Calnon caught behind by Claire for 47, and Fenton wrapped up the innings in his first (and last) over, giving a second catch to Claire. Oz House were all out for 160 off 37 overs, leaving Gnome victors by a satisfying 75 runs. Jim Baker had figures of 2-21 off 6; Mike 1-51 off 8, Butters 1-21 off 4, Fenton 1-1 off one.

Oz House looked surprised by the scale of their defeat but the match was played in a friendly spirit throughout and next year's fixture has already been confirmed for the equivalent Sunday at Queens.