There are few sights more intimidating to an opposition batsman than umpire Steve Hodge arriving at a match with a hang-over. Opening from the scared horse end of Chipstead's idyllic ground 'homer' Freeland took full advantage of Hodgy's late night revelry, taking an alarming 3 for 7 from his first 5 overs of Gangulyesque swing - bowling a full 30 mph slower than his whiplash-armed protege Peter 'pot' Rice.
However - as befits a team stuffed full of doting fathers - the Mogs were lulled into a fatal generosity towards their youthful opponents to the extent of offering a bowling spot to their twelth man Alex Nestor who did his best to turn the game in Chipstead's favour. Despite this when 'Big' Jim Honeyfield and 'Johnny' Briggs chipped in with 4 important wickets to compliment a professional 8 over spell of pace from the evil Abbot, the game looked up for the home side.
Thereafter Captain Lewis's piratical beard became rubbed raw as the free swinging bats of the Chipstead late middle order harvested 100 runs from the last 12 overs and with the assistance of a lightning outfield breached the 200 barrier that seemed but an impossible dream at 73-6 after 25.
The hospitality of their hosts during a pleasantly extended tea interval seemed to further dull the Mogs competitive instincts, to the extent that their stand-in umpires felt compelled to reward Chipstead's youthfully rapid opening bowler with two lbw decisions redolent of the great W.Parker/J.Richards controversy at Perranporth in 1993. Unfortunately one of these was their Kiwi ringer Steve Hirst who as the UK's leading professional cricket agent vowed to take revenge by signing up various West Indian quick bowlers to play against the Mogs in 2008.
Despite a characteristic burner from Turner (68) and a couple of enourmous hits from 'long' Jim Honeyfield the asking rate crept over 10 an over largely as a result of the shrewd flight and turn from early season Mog Phil 'the power' Davies. Sadly a manic thrashing operation from Rice (not his first of the summer we understand) could not prevent the match slipping towards the exuberant youths who celebrated their victory wildly with their fox-eyed captain Mark 'menace' Ennis.
So the Babyjam cup was duly handed over for the second year in succession as the Mogs vowed never again to be seduced by the innocent, boyband charm of the dastardly Chipstead youths.
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