The Mogs made the relatively short journey to The Red Lion on Sunday to play our old friends The Reigate Pilgrims for the inaugural Peter Martin Shield.
Having supped a few beers and scoffed a few lunches the Mogs were greeted at the ground with the news that Alex had won the toss and decided to have a bat first.
Ben and Charlie were asked to open, however still suffering from his extensive trip to South Africa (he has over 200 photos' you know), Charlie decided he was in no state to open, so it fell Andy to partner Ben to the middle.
The track was not the easiest to bat on, with heavy overnight rain making timing any shot very difficult, and Tharpy was the first to be dismissed, one ball after surviving a very close lbw shout, getting caught at the point boundary. The skipper joined Ben and the two batted very well together putting on 67 before Alex was caught off the bowling of Simon Arnold. Jimmy Honeyfield came in at no4 and was there when Ben reached his half century, only to see him depart 4 runs later caught going for a big hit over long on.
Mossy joined the cabster and they took the score onto 148 before Jimmy departed for a quick fire 41, including 3 sixes and 4 fours. 148-4 became 148-5 as Ollie Jago, fuelled by 4 pints of Addlestones seemed to forget where his crease was and was stumped by Copestake for a duck. Charlie, recovered enough to go in at no7 lasted 14 balls before departing caught behind for 8, Richard and The Hornet added 18 to the score before Richard was run out for 22. Debutant Jono Smith was out first ball trying to smite the ball over midwicket and the innings was closed after 41 overs in which the Mogs amassed 188-8.
After a wonderful tea including coffee and walnut cake and Victoria sponge, The Mogs took the field confident they could get the 10 wickets needed to win the game. Joe and Tom opened the bowling, and Joe struck in his 2nd over with a peach of a delivery that cut in between the batsmen's bat and pad to hit middle stump. 3-1 became 29-2 when young tom Hornsey snared the dangerous looking no3, Alex taking an excellent catch running forwards. What followed was infuriating to say the least for the Mogs. Charlie Lee cam on and bowled his best spell yet for the Mogs, consistently beating the left handers outside edge, and Jono Smith bowled some excellent leg spin with no luck (not bad seeing he hadn't bowled in over 10 years!!). The breakthrough finally came in the 29th over when Tharpy held on to an edge from the left hander to give Charlie his deserved wicket. That was as good as it got for the Mogs, as the Pilgrims reached the total for the loss of 1 more wicket, Joe Lewis taking the scalp.
The Mogs retired to the pavilion, where the inaugural presentation of the Peter Martin Shield (tankard - the shield was not quite ready!!) was made to the Pilgrims skipper and it was then back to The Red Lion for a beer with the oppo.
Onwards to Reigate Priory for the annual cricket week fixture on Friday 24th July.
Report Tharpos.
MWCC Stats