The summer of 2007- The UK was going through a foot-and-mouth outbreak, new Wembley stadium was recently opened, Kanye West was at the top of the charts with ‘Stronger’ and it was the last time Michael Rath scored a ton over Upminster Park. Last night, Michael Rath rolled back the years with a blistering ton as he smashed the Firebirds attack to all parts of the picturesque park. Michael hit 18 fours and 3 sixes in his 127 which came off 57 balls, he eventually departed when he smoked an Adam Jackson full toss down Joe Wyatts throat. At one stage, it looked like the Root 66’ers was set for a 250+ score but Alex Fisher (2-21) and Joe Simpson (3-31) tightened things up after the early onslaught.

In reply, Tom Daniels picked up the two big wickets of Evans and Pickering to make victory an almost certainty. Wickets kept falling for the Apple Finance Firebirds but a late flurry from Kevin Roome (28) meant the Firebirds only lost by 45 runs.