A scorching hot day greeted us and our opponents Merstham at Limpsfield. This week it was a different skipper but the same result.

Brad lossed the toss (bring back Woody) and we were in the field. Brad and Val opened the bowling and after the first four overs started to turn the screw. Fiery Val had the left hander taken at gully by Cooksley. He followed up with two further wickets, one a smartly taken catch by McCrea at third slip. Hill kept it tight at the other end with clever changes of pace and deservedly picked up a wicket.

A double change saw Savory and McCrea come on as Merstham were now struggling. Kelly then gifted Merstham four runs with his weekly impersonation of the Okey Cokey out on the mid wicket boundary, the ball just missing his head and ending up in the long grass, followed by his cap thrown down in disgust.

Both Savory and McCrea started to bowl a good line and length although left hander Feist was starting to put the odd ball away. “Tweaky” Savory  then started to work his magic and with the help of one smart stumping by Makin and a one handed catch by Val at slip Beechwood looked to be on top.

Feist started to launch into anything that was in his half and began to increase the run rate. This led toVal being brought back into the attack. Feist eventually fell to Savory, Val holding on to a catch while ending up on his back at deep mid wicket. (Is this a regular occurrence, ask Cindy).

Savory brought the innings too an end with another Makin stumping. A great effort from Chris and Val with figures of  5 – 31 and 3 – 20 respectively.  At last another bowler buying the beers. 

Champagne moment, Brad’s attempted catch at mid on. Diving full length catching it one handed only for it to be dislodged as he hit the ground. Never mind, minus 20.

After tea Freeman and Kelly opened the innings both hitting boundaries early on, Freeman surprisingly despatching a full toss with aplomb. Freeman was the first to go caught down the leg side.  Kelly got a brute of a ball and was caught off his glove.

Warner joined Val in the middle and after a watchful start they took 15 off one over. Adey had a discussion with Val stressing that there was no need to take any risks. English not being Val’s native language chipped the bowler and then charged down the wicket calling for a suicidal single. Adrian who was run out by a country mile walked off wishing he could converse in foreign dialects. Val then holed out and the notorious middle order collapse began, McCrea, Hill, Makin & Robinson all going cheaply, Hill apparently to one that kept low although it hit the top of the stumps.

It was left to the late order to give the score respectability, Savory with a fine 26 aided by Boss and Cooksley took the final score to 104. Cooksley the last man out being Hughes’ fifth wicket. 

Highlights of the evening entertainment were Joe showing Beechwood’s middle order how it should be done by hitting the ball with the middle of the bat and the fifty yard dash. To everyone’s surprise this was won by the rotund Cooksley, Harold Herd and Nelly Freeman came second and third. Last was the head of the Beechwood wags Carole who fell flat on her face after finishing.

A bemused Joe & Kieran and an embarrassed husband looked on.

Beechwood:
Boss, Cooksley, Freeman, Hill, Kelly, McCrea, Makin (wk), Robinson, Savory, Valentine, Warner

Final word from the DoC:
The fielding and bowling were on the whole excellent, and what could have been a one-sided game ended up quite competitive. The post-match performance was a vast improvement on the shambolic Addington Village drinking, with a special mention to Colin and Stuart, who showed superb command of the lager.