On the back of a trip to Addington Village a trip to Merstham (more strong oppo) probably wasn't what the doctor ordered, but it was how our DoC had arranged things, so those of us prepared to make the trip this far into Surrey got out their sat-navs and off they headed. Actually, not so many were prepared for such a journey and it took another delve into the Sheen Park shadow squad to complete our line-up, many thanks to Alok and Nobby for stepping in again. It was of course another defeat we suffered here; relatively heavy, but not disgracing ourselves in doing so. Thinking back to Merstham CC's shirts which have trains embroidered onto them it got me thinking that just like British Rail suffer from the wrong kind of leaves/snow/various other elements, this was obviously the wrong kind of heavy defeat, ie, one that requires a match report to follow it...or is it simply just because muggins here is back that we have one? Eitherways, it would be nice to read about the games you don't play in...
Rant over, Beechwood lost toss and were asked to field, and a 40-over match was agreed. Come start time Rob's sat-nav is sending him to the coast and Brad is still burning rubber en route from Enfield, so as was the case here two years back we took the field with nine men. Many thanks to MCC for loaning us Simon until our troops arrived. Beechwood opened their bowling with Alok and Hamish who kept things reasonably tight to MCC openers Loader and J.Kyte but Loader looked intent on and capable of big shots and it wasn't long before he freed his arms to smite Hamish into the Quality Street End field. Alok was still keeping things tight from his end and Ian Mac replaced Hamish and typically did a good job in an unfussy manner. Which job awaits Ian next week I wonder? Rob got his compass out and arrived just in time to relieve Alok, who had sent down his 8 overs for just 11 runs and had claimed the wicket of opener Kyte athough one suspects he'd rather have claimed his old mate at the other end. Rob had a lovely shape to his bowling from the off and soon induced Loader into a false stroke, steering straight into the safe hands of the DoC at gully, and just after half-way had also bowled Deans to reduce MCC to 71-3, but this had brought new bats Drewett and Rivers to the crease who set about rebuilding their innings. Rebuild they did, Drewett had the ability to go aerial and to improvise whereas Rivers was more correct and very strong on the off-drive and these two were good foils for each other and although Beechwood's bowlers occasionally induced false strokes they also occasionally watched on as fielders retrieved the ball from the golf course and other neighbouring fields. Beechwood never did make the breakthrough and MCC reached 209-3 from their 40 overs with Drewett swinging to 82 and Rivers also reaching 50. Tea.
After an enjoyable tea, (less enjoyable to those listening in to England's Ashes progress) Beechwood set about their 5-an-over plus chase with Tony and Rob but when Tony steered one that stopped on him into mid-wicket's hands early on a successful run-chase was looking less likely. Nobby came in and got a bit bogged down and with the required run-rate ever soaring, even the elegant Pogose was reduced to playing some awful one-legged swishy air-strokes. The introduction of McGillvray soon accounted for Nobby and Brad and Rob's brave slog also was brought to an end, and it was left to Hamish and Alok to try to chance their arms. I'd gone out to umpire with England in a hopeless position in the test and found Alok's efforts most diverting and indeed entertaining as he swung his way to a maiden 50 from just 30-odd balls although he had a life when Rivers blotted his copybook, dropping a dolly off him...cue the donning of pink frilly sweater. With the eventual departures of Alok and Hamish (still in good form) it was left to The DoC, Bobby, Boris and yours truly to come and go with Macca undefeated, before Beechwood were bowled out for 164 with a ball remaining. Respectable, but never threatening. Alok was obviously unrivalled in the man-of-the-match stakes but I'll take this opportunity to praise Bobby for his incredible energy and enthusiasm when in the field, especially close-in when the spinners were operating...an example to all of us. Ah well, at least The Ashes were still alive...somehow!!
Beechwood:
Cooksley, Freeman (c), Hill, McCrea, McLachlan, Morton (wk), Noblett, Pogose, Rega, Robinson, Savory
Final words from the DoC:
Not a bad performance, throroughly disappointed I didn't partake in the the curry eating afterwards. Starving by the time I got onto the M20! |
