King’s Road got stage fright as they failed to upstage the Thespian Thunderers.

The Thesps posted an impressive 142 from their 20 overs, with the leading role played by Goldman, who scored 76 including two monstrous sixes.

An early run out helped get the Road off to a great start, but after the initial breakthrough the Orange Caps’ bowlers were made to toil.

Opening bowler and skipper for the day Jamie Keating saw the first two balls of his second over go to the boundary for a four and six, while David Hughes served up more pies that Fray Bentos as his two overs went for 22.

The 58-run partnership for the second wicket was ended by Gary (1-14 from three overs), who clean bowled opener Robertshaw for 17 with the score on 60.

Another King’s Road debutant Jack Holborn was into the action five runs later, snaffling a catch off the bowling of pace ace Matt Glover (22-1 from four).

Despite wickets for Matt Cocken (2-20 from four), no one was able to bring down the final curtain on Goldman’s performance as the Thesps thundered to 142.

Keats bowled three wicketless overs for 22, speedster Matt Small’s three overs cost 19, Hughes’ two overs went for 22 and Laura Bailey’s only over went for 14.

Skipper Keating opened the batting in typical style, smashing a boundary before getting out for 5.

But there were important runs from Glover (28) and Jack Caesar (23), with Dan Howard (24) playing the anchor role as the two big hitters set about the 7-an-over run chase.

At the halfway point the Road were 87-2 and looked favourites to take the honours, but the Thesps stepped up their performance with a series of wickets.

Wicketkeeper Chris MacNicol was out for 7, Holborn bagged a 7 ball duck, and with pressure to step up the pace of the innings mounting Hughes was run out for 2 despite a despairing dive that might have triggered a small earthquake in the Tooting area.

Gary attempted to hold things together with 22 not out, but Bailey was out for 0 and Cocken run out for 1, leaving Small 0 not out at the end with the Road 132-9 at the death.