<p>Sunday morning dawned (at the standard 0500hrs for the legion of Mog young Daddies!) and the curtains were drawn back to an absolute scorcher of a day, just what the doctor ordered for cricket with your friends on a Sunday in summer. We set off from all directions for a 12:00L ETA at the beautiful ground of Headley, fully loaded with food & drink for some pre-match festivities.</p>
<p>Skipper Matt called correctly and batting in the sunshine was the 100% majority vote, so off trotted Messrs Furner & Jackson. All was going swimmingly until yet another "running between the wickets moment" and poor old Stuart was heading to the changing room repeating (I think) a script from Quentin Tarantino.</p>
<p>The total reached a sedate 44 for 1 off 14 overs when disaster strikes (twice), with Fairclough being adjudged 'legs' before (even the fielders felt for him) and Furner, not taking in the plain fact that there is a slope to the ground, and misjudging a skimmer to extra cover. To the rescue came "Super Mario" Moss and the Chairman, who went about their trade ably, doubling the score to 98 before Mr Moss was back sitting on the boundary having been stone baked to a crisp. The Chairman's rich vein of form continued as he struck 8 x 4's & 2 x 6's to reach 49, but with the crowd ready to leap from their seats (or roll from their rugs) he pre determining the vital shot and saw himself bowled instead of the ball sailing over mid wicket.</p>
<p>Tharpy's 17 off 12 balls was exciting (and had those in the pavillion at extra cover quivering in fear/trepidation of another flat-batted 6!) until he very generously played the ball back to the bowler, largely for safety reasons. Lewis showed the same generosity and stayed for ample clarification that he had just savagely hooked a bouncer straight down the throat of distant deep square leg.</p>
<p>A couple of more wickets fell cheaply until carnage came in the form of an exciting helping of "Savoury" Rice. Peter "Peter" Rice (note: we have run out of nicknames) had sat and watched his teamates slowly crawl to 150 off 36 overs when he quietly and somewhat shyly(it's always the quiet ones eh girls...) wandered to the crease and proceeded to smack a swashbuckling 42 off 24 balls which included 7*4's and a big 6 off the back foot over long off (what do you call that?). The Colonel included an absolute dream of a cover drive in his rock solid 12 not out, happily taking on the roll of experienced warhorse and tickling the ball all around the square to share a fantastic 56 run stand for the last wicket</p>
<p>Mogs 206 at Tea and all to play for</p>
<p>After the usual good tea, "Mr" Rice was back in the field marking out his run up and bowling a pacey first spell. Keith came on from the other end and picked up the Mog's first and second wickets with his wiley experience and shrewd variation of line, length, swing and chat. The game drifted on until 6:30 pm and the last 20 overs were called with the score on 90-4, and both sides saw the opportunity of a win. Wickets and runs came steadily with Keith picking up his third and Andy starting to swing like a 1960's cabinet minister.</p>
<p>With ten overs remaining the score was 145-6 with only 6 an over required and Headley's captain was "in the zone" and SO desperately wanted this one. Rice was having his second spell, which after trying to knock them out (rather than bowl them out) pitched one up and the bails were retrieved 8 yards from the boundary.</p>
<p>Now this one was going to the wire! Andy's first ball of his 10th over was eventually found on the Leatherhead bypass, but he produced the best reply by bowling the fella - game on! 160-8.</p>
<p>2 overs to go - 180-8 and all to play for - Andy takes the penultimate over and bowls a tight and nagging line resulting in Furner taking a great one handed catch diving left at short mid on and the great Tharpos finishes an inspired spell of swing bowling with a magnificent Michelle (Five-fer). "Pilau" Rice bowls a good last over with loads of oooh's and aarrghhs as the ball flashes past batsman, stump, keeper, OAP in the car park, but finally the game draws to a close with the draw a fair result Headley 185-9.</p>
<p>Otherwise the usual hop based niceties were observed after the game, with the added bonus of Mr. Jackson holding a fines meeting to raise well required drinking funds.</p>
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