After suffering a comprehensive defeat in 2009 and a rain-off in 2010, the Mogs were keen to record their opening victory of the season at Follies Farm where the Old Spots XI awaited amongst idyllic surroundings.
A classic Mog team arrived containing a hardcore of familiar footsoldiers, the rising (rock) star Fraser Larke and an almost impossibly exciting pair of new caps in Kiwi Arnie 'the Terminator' Yugaraja and our good friend Andy 'the Regurgitator' Hoad from Reigate Priory's glittering ranks.
Arnie is the overseas player at Chipstead this year, and is a member of New Zealand's Under 19 squad for the 2012 world cup. Unfortunately the Mogs encountered him after what can only be described as an evening of alcoholic shock and awe after a cracking performance in beating Purley the day before. A clue to his condition were his parting words of 'I'll be back' as he stumbled out to bat, although as it transpired this was only the most obvious of a stream of catchphrases employed throught the day.
Anyway his dashing partnership of 44 off 7 overs with the classy Abbot (19) was the only time batting appeared straightforward on a pitch as trustworthy as a North African dictator. More importantly Follies had a rather nasty surprise up their sleeve in the form of Oscar Powell, a Radley team-mate of mssrs Strauss and Dalrymple who, despite looking like an extra from Brideshead Revisited, proceeded to bowl unpleasantly fast from the oak tree end.
Its not often that a batsman walks past a splintered off-stump literally sawn in half by the previous delivery, but that was the sight that greeted Tharpy as Toby Briggs departed the scene for a typically big-hitting 28. A resolutely defensively minded mid-pitch chat with Freeland worked reasonably badly as both lost various parts of woodwork within the next 30 seconds of live action and the Mogs were wallowing like a Gloucester Old Spot in need of a good, clean pig sty.
Thanks to some late hitting by Hoad (15) the Mogs nudged up to a still depressingly low 129. However as consolation prizes go the Follies tea is like being forced to settle for a date with Kate Middleton's younger sister, and the Mogs tucked in with Prince Harry-like relish.
When action resumed, new-found confidence joined the cholestrol flooding Mog veins as the Off-Break and all-rounder Hoad opened with a mean spell including an innovative effort to invent 'glove before wicket' as a mode of dismissal through sheer willpower and appeal volume. Nevertheless pressure was being exerted especially by Joe's immaculate line and length, however wickets were needed and Freeland obliged at first change with a delivery that spat like a just-booked footballer to take Moore for 24.
Meantime the Terminator was deploying his awesome array of spin-weaponry, but somehow was unable to say 'hasta la vista' to the stubborn Leeper who inched to a well crafted 50 and despite a rapid spell from Briggs (who had opened the bowling to Mark Ramprakash against Surrey 2nd XI the previous day) looked to be winning the match in low gear.
However in a gloriously inspired piece of captaincy, skipper Hewitt tossed the ball to Abbo who rumbled in menacingly to stand the match on its head with a deadly spell of 4-14, reducing Follies to 110 for 5 with only 5 overs left. Grown men brushed away tears at the thought of the forthcoming departure of this Mog colussus as he snarled, cut and bear-hugged his way through the middle order.
Just as Abbo seemed to be propelling the Mogs to the brink of a Botham's Ashes style comeback victory, the ill-named Blockwell came in at 7 to win the game with a series of ariborne wooshes and all retreated to the wonderful hospitality of Follies pavillion after one another immensely enjoyable and competitive fixture against the Old Spots XI.
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