<p>Having collected the scalps of Surrey's premier clubs so far this season (Wimbledon, Reigate Priory et all), the Mogs arrived at Horsham's county ground ready to do battle with one of Sussex's premier cricketing sides, currently vying for a league and cup double.</p>
<p>Regulars Hewitt, Parker, Furner, Freeland & Abbott were supplemented by "occasionals" Turner & Goulstone and "Mog virgins" (note: "Mog") Halliday, Thirlwall & Karki. One short on the day we were pleased to see that Lancing Old Boy Richard "Mad Dog" Spink had come along to watch, so he was immediately summoned to join our ranks, at least until his daily 6pm curfew.</p>
<p>Horsham won the toss & elected to field, having been on the wrong end of two stupendous Mog run chases in previous seasons. Sound-a-likes Furner & Turner opened the batting, but after 17 overs, the Mogs had crawled to 25-0 in the face of good bowling from Horsham's well drilled young quickies. At this point Captain Hewitt, egged on by his team mates and 3 pints of King & Barnes, bellowed with the subtlety of a rampant elephant seal for an increase in the run rate, and needless to say this brought about the first wicket - Turner (17) dramatically losing his off stump.</p>
<p>Phil "Village" Goulstone batted at 3 & the run rate slowly increased with Yoda also managing to persuade the ball off the square at least once an over. Wickets continued to fall however with Furns running himself out (27) & Village picking out mid-wicket with 359 degrees to aim for (20). Neither Jamie Freeland (4) nor his best man Alex Halliday (26) could locate the accelerator as tight seam turned to tidy spin, and after 35 overs, the Mogs found themselves at 102-5 with only 45 minutes to go before a moral obligation to declare.</p>
<p>Hewitt and new recruit Thirlwall (playing his first game for 12 years following an incarcaration-on-tour incident in the early 90's) got the comeback going with a partnership of 52 runs mixing big hits with fiendeshishly unpredictable running. After Thirlwall departed caught at cover, "Mad Dog" Spink joined Hewitt at the crease and suddenly the innings took off like harrier jump jet.</p>
<p>Both batsmen started peppering the boundary on all sides of the pitch, with Hewitt again threatening family members with a curving cover drive that homed in on the picnic basket like an exocet. Spink meanwhile consistently proved that the longest boundary on the ground was well within range, and Hewitt joined him in a late-innings six-athon that yielded much greater success than Paula "nodder" Radcliffe's suddenly feeble effort in Athens.</p>
<p>Just as Horsham's smaller scoreboard threatened to disintegrate under the pressure of 70 runs in the last 6 overs, Hewitt calle off the carnage leaving him on a brutal 81* and Spink on a similarly hard hit 38*. The Mogs declared at 233-6 and enjoyed an enterprising and culturaly diverse tea (included some innovative mini-pizzas) in the impressive pavillion.</p>
<p>With Spink's ASBO needing him to be home by 6pm, the Mogs took to the field with 10 players but any fears of being put to the sword by a charming Horsham side were quickly allayed with the hosts reduced to 6-3 with Jamie bagging 2 quick wickets (including a fine catch in the covers by Halliday) & Peter "Yoda" Furner then executing a miraculous run out from square leg, hitting one stump from 30 yards (fell the force...)! Freeland then bagged another (caught & bowled) and at 26-4 Horsham were looking a little like our Paula, mournfully sitting on a pavement in Athens.</p>
<p>First teamers Craig "Rock-n-Roll Star" Gallagher & Alan "I fought the" Law got Horsham's innings back on track despite Mog debutante Dipak "Tupac" Karki (1-47) toiling manfully from the big field end, supported by a barrage of nickname support from his new team mates. He did bag Law's wicket (36) in his last over with a clever slower ball & the Mogs were in the ascendancy with Horsham at 65-5 with 20 overs to go. However, it was at this point that the home side deployed their secret weapons in the next door church belfry, and with his 47th encouraging nick-name drowned out but a cacophony of bells, Karki began to take some punishment and was replaced.</p>
<p>Abbott had bowled a miserly opening spell (0-19) from the bell-end & Hewitt replaced him, continuying the lack of runs. "Filth" was required and Turner & Goulstone (0-22) were duly summoned, increasing the boundary rate to between 70 and 90% per over. Turner struck however, crucially bagging "Liam" Gallagher for a hard hit 69 LBW. Freeland & Hewitt were brought back on and with Horsham continuing to look for the win, the match was reduced to Horsham requiring a gettable 44 off the last 7 overs. An agile run out from the superbly fielding Karki, 2 quick wickets for Hewitt (2-40) and the final wicket caught Karki bowled Freeland (4-44) and the match was all over, the Mogs winning by 31 runs.</p>
<p>All in all this was a terrific victory against one of the friendliest sides we have lined up against this year, and as Jamie walks up the aisle this Friday he can be proud of his contribution in his last match as a batchelor, first providing half of the Mogs team and then bagging 4 wickets. Good luck mate and on behalf of the Mogador Wanderers Cricket Club we wish you & Jenny a wonderful married life together.</p> (ed: Thanks. See you on Sunday. Doh!)</p>
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