The season started in impeccable style, with an ever growing band of Mogs gathering in the garden of the timeless Dog and Pheasant pub opposite. Brook's delightful but rather damp ground. As the sun shone down, 2-3 pints of Adnams ale were pleasantly consumed, with a delayed start greeted with sighs of relief, especially by our opening bowlers, one of whom (Lewis J) was still the wrong side of Guildford and the other (Abbot) just scaling the foothills of a slightly hotter than medium Chicken Tikka Balti.<br><br>
Skipper Matt Lewis handily assisted the general air of relaxed contentment by winning the toss, and a congenial air was assisted by a wicket cut no more than 40 yards from the imposing pavillion - allowing pleasant conversation to be continued with Mog opening batsmen Peter Furner and Stuart 'Action' Jackson.<br><br>
One wonders therefore how Furner didn't hear a collective whisper of 'he'll never make it...' as he was run out by 5 yards for 4 going for an improbable 3rd. Freeland and Jackson then continued the new phenomenon of 'suicide running' to the extent that it was a wonder they weren't detained under new terror legislation, until the former was dispatched by a straight ball of full length that detonated his stumps for 11.<br><br>
'Action' followed shortly thereafter for a flamboyant 12, but when Martin D (newly appointed chairman/president/CEO) joined Andy Tharp, things started to get interesting, especially for the vividly ginger-haired youngster from the scorebox end who exhibited the well known stubborn streak of his gene type by relentlessly testing the middle of the pitch with his medium pacers. Tharp responded in kind by regularly peppering sixes into the adjacent tennis courts, hedges and field of shetland ponies who showed a surprising turn of hoof and spatial awareness for their size.<br><br>
Having larruped 62 explosive runs from less than 40 balls (including a signature flat six over cover point into the pavillion) Tharp's explosive innings was cut short by a top edge. David Martin, in 'Strictly Come Dancing' style, made graceful music in a variety of partnerships before departing for 34, whereafter some agressive swishing from Lewis J, Lewis M and Parker took the score to a respectable 168 off the alloted 35 overs.<br><br>
Tea included some strategically high density chocolate fudge cake, the effects of which the Mog bowlers struggled to shake off for the remainder of the afternoon. All except Abbot that is, who bowled with fluidity and pace of the aforementioned chicken Balti to record figures of 1 for 14 off 7 overs. Lewis J took a wicket with his slowest ever slower ball (13.3 mph) and utilized the conditions well in harness with Keith 'walking in the air' Briggs from the dramtically sloping field end.<br><br>
However things took a turn for the worse, both in the cricketing and no-claims bonus sense, when Furner was given the chance to exhibit his little seen off-spin. The Brook batsman proceeded to launch 5 towering sixes into the car park, the third of which plummeted inexorably through the left headlight of a sparkling Mercedes Benz. The exhilarating crash of broken glass drew cheers from all except our esteemed keeper William TJ Parker who, hands on hips, silently contemplated legal action against the bowler and the charmingly apologetic batsman.<br><br>
In the general air of suppressed hilarity, it suddenly occured to the Mogs that their opponents needed little more than 5 an over for the last 10, a sitaution not improved as Freeland was similarly smashed for an enourmous six over the scoreboard and into a neighbouring shrubbery. A run out and 2 wickets later, things were close - but too close for comfort as Lewis M took the ball for the last over with just 2 needed for a Brook victory with one wicket in hand.<br><br>
There followed one of the most nerveless and heroic displays in Mog history, as ball after perfectly pitched ball from the Mog skipper fizzed past the bemused Brook batsman like angry wasps until the sixth arrived with no runs having been scored. This one caught the edge, ran down to Abbot at fine leg, and in a breathless climax Parker W whipped the bails off with the batsman inches short of a victorious run. A heart-stopping tie!<br><br>
What better way to start the season, and as the fleet of Mog convertibles turned their headlamps (or headlamp in the case of our luckless keeper) towards home, the anticipation of a vintage season was palpable.
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