And so the good ship King’s Road embarked on another voyage, sailing forth into the 2018 season with the traditional intraclub contest.

With KRCSC skipper Chris Brown absent, it was left to Orange Cap stalwarts Dan Sherman and Jamie Keating to lead the opposing sides in the battle of the beards.

Sherman’s team batted first with Matt Cocken and Sham De Silva facing the new ball.

But there was an early setback as Sham used his pads rather than his bat to play a delivery from Matt Small.

With all umpires having been given a refresher on the LBW laws, Sham could have no complaints after being sent back to the pavilion for a duck.

Adam Paterson joined Cocken in the middle and the pair put on 25 before a change of bowling saw Oscar Newlove claim the Kiwi’s scalp, caught by Matt Glover for 13 including two fours.

Welsh biffer David Hughes was the next man in and through a combination of edges and slogs raced to 17 off 18 balls, including a two completed as fielder Matt Andrews looked in vain for ball he had just stopped, triggering panto-esque calls of “it’s behind you”.

But he took one risk too many off the bowling of Keating – Glover again providing the safe pair of hands for the catch.

49-3 soon became 51-4 as new batsman Chris Beckett could not cope with Raju Mazumder’s devilish spin, clean bowled for a duck.

John Pinkos was next in – but disaster struck after drinks as the big-hitting batsman was bowled by Andrews for two.

Walking to the crease at 63-5, skipper Sherman had a rescue mission to perform and bludgeoned his way to 18 before Glover took his third catch – this time off his own bowling.

By this point Cocken had retired after patiently compiling 26 runs as a succession of partners came and went, leaving Mo Shaboodien and Ali Tyzack to attempt to build a respectable total.

Shaboodien fell for seven – yet another catch for Glover, a second wicket for Small – and Cocken could only add one more to his score before being bowled by James Pinkney, leaving Tyzack not out for 12 and a target of 115 for Keats’ side to chase.

Pick of the bowlers was Matt Small, who finished with 2-6 off three overs including two wicket maidens.

A high bar was set for the rest of the season at tea, with a lavish spread laid out in the Battersea Park pavilion (special thanks to the team that had been booked on pitch one but set up on the wrong square).

High points included Matt Small’s mini burgers, Michael Rossi’s pastrami sarnies, Matt Cocken’s pork samosas and Gemma’s sugar coma-inducing rocky road.

Suitably refreshed, Mazumder and Pinkney strode out to being the run chase, successfully negotiating four overs from the surprise new ball pairing of Beckett and Hughes without drama.

Mazumder hit De Silva for successive fours before being spectacularly run out for 15, failing to turn and make his ground as Sherman struck with a direct hit.

Matt Small joined Pinkney at 37-1 and the pair continued the progress until Pinkney – just short of having to retire – was caught off the bowling of Shaboodien for 24, Tyzack taking the catch to make amends for an earlier drop off De Silva.

Elliott Small was next in at 64-2 and the pair of Smalls took their side to the brink of victory.

Pinkos broke the partnership, bowling Elliott for 14 but at 102-3 it would take a miracle for Sherman’s side to get back into the game.

With Matt Small retiring on 26, Matt Andrews (10 not out) and Jamie Keating (4 not out) completed the run chase off the first ball of the 25th over.

Small’s unbeaten score, coupled with his 3-2-6-2 bowling figures, secured him the first man-of-the-match award of the season.

Champagne moment was Sherman’s run out of Mazumder, while Matt Andrews running away from the ball he had stopped secured the prestigious embarrassing moment award.

In the all-important battle for teasmaker, the big names did not disappoint – Matt Cocken’s samosas winning the savoury prize and Gemma’s chocolate concoction scooping the sweet award and overall victory.

In a game played in good spirit, on a beautiful spring afternoon, there could only be one winner of the tantrum of the day award: absent skipper Chris Brown.