Mogador Wanderers vs South Nutfield
The Mogs made the journey South Nutfield on Sunday buoyed by the resounding win at Chipstead last week.
There were a few new faces among the ranks, as the Mogs welcomed Tim Blake and Jez Gray to the fold. Skipper for the day Matt lost the toss and the Mogs were asked to bowl first in a 40 over game. It was then that it was pointed out that we only had 8 players at the ground; however after a few frantic phone calls we were assured that we had eleven. Pilau and Richard Brown were en route; the colonel was still eating his underdone roast lamb!
Richard Brown and Tom Hornsey opened the bowling and it was soon apparent that it was either 1 or 4 on the lightning outfield. The South Nutfield openers got off to a quick start, and although Tom Hornsey trapped Brown lbw for 20, the scoring rate was quick and after 10 overs they were 75-1.
A couple of astute bowling changes from the skipper did manage to slow the run rate down, with Charlie Lee and the returning UN envoy Pilau Rice both bowling well. Pilau in particular was not showing any signs of not playing for 16 months as he tore in down the hill and showed us what we had been missing. His 8 overs only went for 18 runs; he took 4 wickets and really curtailed the scoring.
Following this onslaught the young (some would say pre-pubescent) opposition had no real answer to the guile of Jez Gray, Matt Lewis and Jimmy Honeyfield who took 3 wickets between them, as well as the rocket arm of Richard Brown who repeated his antics from Merstham by running out their no 4 batsmen with a direct hit from the boundary. South Nutfield were bowled out for 184 from 35 overs, and the Mogs left the field relieved that they were not chasing a total nearer to 300!
After a pleasant tea (6/10) the honour of opening was given to Charlie Lee and Tim Blake. Charlie lasted for 3 over before being caught for 6, Mike Johnson joined Tim and the pair put on 67 runs for the 2nd wicket before Mike was bowled for 22. Tim was looking very assured and reached his half century with a lovely clip off his legs for four, only to perish next ball stumped for 52. Jimmy Honeyfield and Andy Tharp looked to see the team through, however Jimmy was caught off a leading edge for 2, Tom Hornsey was also caught for 8, and Richard Brown for 6 the Mogs were 115-5 and with some hard work left to do. The South Nutfield bowling attack was working well, credit to their young leg spinner who could be a real talent, however Tharpy had decided that he would look ton punish anything short and full and proceeded to hit 48 before spooning a full toss to cover, 156-7. It was getting tense but then Jez Gray and Matt Lewis wasted no time at all in polishing off the 31 required, scoring them in 4 overs to see the Mogs home by 3 wickets and 11.3 overs left.
A thoroughly enjoyable game against friendly opposition, many thanks goes to the hoards of Mogs supporters and to John Buchanan for umpiring. The Mogs now travel to Ewhurst to try and win the third game in a row
Report from Tharpy
MWCC Stats