It is a magic
eight ball that falls into the almost-adolescent hands of Julia Raine, Douglas' precocious, impressionable and witty protagonist.
As all masters of the green baize know, pool can be a physically demanding sport so there are plenty of leather sofas dotted around so that
eight ball athletes can rest their weary limbs.
Howitzers: Tonight: P S Sounds, bingo and
eight ball; Tomorrow: Carley, bingo and
eight ball; Sunday: Bingo, 1pm, P J Gibb, bingo and
eight ball (evening); Thursday: Bingo, 9pm.
Tammy Beaumont - who had struck the opening ball to the boundary - made 16, but she played on off Perry as England lost three wickets in
eight balls with the score at just 19.
After Hampshire were lifted to a solid 354 by Tom Alsop's classy, career-best 150, the home side advanced to 135-3 before South African paceman Abbott took three wickets for four runs in
eight balls.
Sulfan (28 in nine balls with four sixes) and Muzzamil (24 in
eight balls with two sixes and as many fours) were the main scorers.
In-form openers Will Rhodes and Dom Sibley put on 33 before Andrew Neal took three wickets in
eight balls.
Chasing 187, Karachi Kings were 4 for 2 before Colin Ingrams record-breaking knock stunned Quetta Gladiators and took his side home with six wickets and
eight balls to spare.
Shadab Khan hit three sixes in the final over from Andile Phehlukwayo to finish with 22 not out off
eight balls. The last over cost 21 runs.
In reply Sikh Union were dismissed for 112 with
eight balls in hand.
The Hurricanes decided to field after winning the toss and it paid off, restricting Stars to 155-5 from their 20 overs, with the Hurricanes reaching the target with
eight balls to spare.
They chased down Kent's 133-9 with
eight balls to spare.
Fisher blasted an unbeaten 24 from
eight balls to chase down a target of 190 in a game reduced by rain to 24 overs a side despite Ravi Rampaul's best limited overs figures of five for 48.
But
eight balls into Sunday's play and having added only one more run, Buttler was lbw to Mohammad Abbas for 67 after missing an intended drive.
Jaber, who was adjudged the man-of the-match, made 33 runs from
eight balls with four sixes and two fours while Bobav scored 34 from
eight balls with four sixes and two fours.