On a baking hot day at The Priory the Mogs turned up for one of the most challenging games they face all year. With many of the Priory players still suffering with a massive Stars in their Eyes hangover, and the Mogs enjoying a couple of pints of cider prior to the game, all eyes were on the two skippers as they strode out for the toss, both sets of players hoping their skip would call correctly and bat. Skipper for the day Darrell called incorrectly, and it was with some trepidation that the Mogs ventured out onto the field to bowl on what was clearly a road!! .
Gaffer and Tim "Gordon" Bennett were due to open but the Gaffer, who is normally so punctual, was a little (90 minutes) late so the Priory scratched around and found some young bloke called Jason Roy to open instead.
Bennett was out in single figures, well caught by Pilau off debutant Nick Broughton, 1st XI player Dan Upton soon followed (definitely a Stars in their Eyes casualty) which meant that Jason was joined by Tom Collard. Jason Roy was almost brilliantly caught by Pilau in the slips, but following his early nervousness Roy looked very comfortable and proceeded to tear into the tiring Mogs bowlers, hitting some very big sixes including one that cleared the swimming pool in the Cranleigh Hotel! Darrell tried in vain to stem the run rate (10 an over) by changing the bowling attack regularly, but it was to no avail as the partnership passed the 100 mark.
Tharpy got Tom Collard out caught on the boundary for a fine 52 having shared a stand of 175 with Jason. This didn't seem to slow Jason Roy down, prior to this match Jason's highest ever score was 153 (against the Mogs last year) and he soon went past that.
With the Mogs now trying to keep Jason off strike, it proved to be a thankless task on an excellent strip, and Roy soon brought up the 300 for the Priory and very soon afterwards his 200 off only 101 balls. An incredible knock for a lad who is still only 15! (nb he has now scored over 400 runs against us and we have only dismissed him once!!) Priory declared their innings at 308-3 off 31.3 overs!!
After an excellent tea including brie and grape sarnies, 8 out of 10, the Mogs started brightly with Andy Tharp hitting some fine shots. The bowlers tightened things up and Andy Hoad eventually got the breakthrough with a slower ball knocking back the Jimmy Honeyfield's leg stump for 9. Ben joined Tharpy and they kept the total ticking over, Tharpy reaching his half century with a dubious single. The next over changed the game for the Mogs, Ollie Tame came on and bowled a triple wicket maiden including the wicket of Andy Tharp
Ben continued to score freely along with Andy Gould, but the total of 308 was never really in danger. Ben made a cultured 40, Andy Gould and Pilau both played some good shots in compiling scores in the thirties. The match endeed with the Mogs scoring 200-8. The game will be remembered for Jason Roy's 200 no, although we all hope he won't be free to play against us next year!! I think the Mogs have given him enough batting practice already!!
MWCC Stats