The N8 bragging rights returned to the south of the postcode on a rather drawn out evening at North Mid. The first sticking point was that The Priory only had 7, so we were going to lend them 2 for 9 a side. Then Ken and another player turned up to play for them so we lent them Sam for 10 a side.
Chris and Hugh went out to toss. Given his atrocious record for us this season it was inevitable that Chris would win this time. He asked Hugh what he would've done had he won the toss. Hugh informed Chris that he would've batted. So we batted.
Messrs Clarke and Jagan opened, facing Ken. Simon took a single from the first ball. AJ decided to take Ken on. Unfortunately he only connected with the last ball. With a top edge. That looped to gully. 1-1. I joined Simon and after a tentative couple of overs the boundaries started to flow.
In desperation Ken unleashed a couple of his speciality beamers which Simon hooked off his nose for 4. Then after 5 overs we suddenly had a full complement of fielders to deal with. It turned out that Mick had arrived at The Priory to find the place empty and was told everyone was at the cricket, so he came to join in. So having lent them a player we now had 10 to their 11. Brilliant. Not that it mattered. We added 68 in 8 overs before I chased a wide long hop from son of Dave Gaffney, got the same top edge as AJ and was caught by the same fielder in the same place. Hugh in next and he was soon hooking fours down to the tennis courts. Hugh made 28 before getting the same top edge to the same place, but this time it was a different fielder.
Simon completed yet another 50 before losing his stumps to the first ball of the last over. Aymon clubbed 2 fours and a six to see us to 165.
Dave S and Tony opened the bowling. Only a single came from the first over. Four came from the second which featured a run out. Reg wanted a single. Ray didn't budge. Debutant Alistair calmly underarmed the ball back to Tony. Out by a mile. It quickly got worse as Dave S struck 3 times. Son of Dave Gaffney got a leading edge and Hugh - in an action replay of last Sunday - sped out from behind the stumps and dived to take the catch. Cor. As we huddled I asked Hugh what animal he'd like to be compared to in the report. He rejected suggestions of an asthmatic sloth and a startled turtle and settled for panther. Then both Ray and Craig had their stumps disturbed. 24-4. It got worse still as Dave Gaffney flicked straight to Andy C at square leg but called Mick for a run. Mick didn't beat the throw.
24-5 became 30-6 as Alistair got in on the act in his first over. His first 3 deliveries were brisk, full and straight. What more could you want? Well a wicket I suppose. We didn't actually ask for one but he provided anyway by bowling Keith. A wicket maiden to start with on debut. There have been worse debuts. Mine for example, when I made 0 and came on with the scores level only to bowl a wide.
Enter Sam and a curious phase of the game developed. The batsmen seemed intent on accumulating in extras whilst simultaneously attempting to run each other out. Despite several good attempts they didn't manage it. Then Dave started batting left handed. I'm not sure he scored a run off the bat after that. Andy C eventually ended the nonsense with a caught and bowled to remove Sam. Bernie smashed 3 fours to great cheers before AJ bowled him. Enter Chris. Second ball he got a similar top edge to AJ, myself and Hugh. Aymon - at a wide slip position - ran towards the ball hand aloft in a style reminiscent of Harry Enfield's 'Mr Cholmondley-Warner' black and white sports bulletins. The ball obligingly landed in his hand and he set off on a victory lap of ever decreasing circles, still holding the ball aloft.
Ken in now and AJ had 1 ball to exact revenge. Ken promptly smashed him back over his head for 4. That was the last ball of the 19th over, at which point Hugh generously said to me 'next over that end Dave'. Yeah, cheers. With the clock ticking inexorably towards Saturday and with several members of the fielding side mentally penning letters to loved ones back home whom they hadn't seen since this whole beastly affair kicked off the ball was thrown to Simon. He responded by taking the 10th wicket first ball, Dave Gaffney pulling high to Andy C at square leg. Victory by 87 runs.
Afterwards Hugh referenced Simon's 50 and Alistair's debut before awarding the tankard to me for getting us off to a rampaging start.
DT
Batting:
S Clarke b 50
A Jagan c 0
D Terry c 44
H Evans c 28
A Copeland no 4
A Spee no 14
A Fraser dnb
T Alveranga dnb
G Gibbs dnb
D Seymour dnb
Bowling
Seymour 4-0-8-3
Alveranga 4-0-19-0
Fraser 3-1-6-1
Gibbs 3-0-12-0
Jagan 3-0-17-2
Copeland 2-0-11-1
Clarke 0.1-0-0-1
Catches Copeland (2), Evans, Spee
Captain's Tankard: Dave T
