Whereas the previous week's encounter was a nerve straining experience, the Mogs' required copious intravenous injections of stimulants to remain conscious in a numbingly dull session in the field at Ewhurst.
The hosts won the toss and put the Mogs in to bat on a curious wicket, which allowed the ball to hurry through low off a good length. Yoda Furner opened with Tom Matthews, guesting for the Club, from Smallfield. Ewhurst had a couple of lively openers who moved the ball around but the Mogs were equal to the task and Yoda and Matthews batted smoothly and put on an excellent 123 for the first wicket in only 19 overs at which point Matthews was caught for 52.
The Chairman came in and made 11 before was caught at mid on pulling a good length ball. His dismissal announced the arrival of a hirsute and bellicose
Tim Mackenzie who scored a quick 26, including one massive six which cleared the pavilion and disappeared into the woods behind. After his exit (missing a straight one) Andy Tharp made 6 before being bowled. At this point the canny tactician Lothar Lewis, captaining the Mogs, declared with the score on 208 - 4 after 29 overs.
After a good tea Ewhurst (who only had nine players) set off in pursuit of the Mogs target - or so the theory goes. Their opener, a fresh faced youngster, who clearly had some batting class oddly chose to play with a broken bat which had as much power as a splintered piece of balsa wood. This rather set the tone for the first three quarters of their innings where the batting side did not seem to be particularly interested in taking on the Mogs. This being said, though, the opening pair of Briggs (1-17 off 7 overs) and Lewis (1-24 off 5 overs) bowled tidily but the batsmen did not seem intent on punishing the loose balls. The Captain tried some variety to tempt the batsmen and brought on Abbot who bowled some sharp balls in his spell of 4 overs, which cost 14 runs. Peter Martin was brought on, ironically, from the Village end after the Captain had notified the duty controller at NATS in Swanwick that there would be some unauthorised intrusion of the Gatwick airspace. His spell of 10 overs, which yielded 1-50, is testament both to his good line and length but also the batsmen's unwillingness to attack his lofted mortar shells. Indeed such a lengthy and frugal spell has not been seen from Peter since the giant sauropods ruled the earth 65 million years ago.
After 17 overs when the score was 58-3 the 20 overs began. Mogs players were collapsing in a stupor in the outfield and had to be revived with smelling salts. Some overs later Yoda, normally the quietest of the Mogs, enquired of the opposing Captain why it was only now that they were opening out as he had just hit the Captain for 2 4s in an over. The batsman towered over Yoda and answered him in no uncertain terms, however, on seeing the glinting handle of the light sabre - the unmistakable sign of a Jedi knight, he returned to his crease and continued prospering - but it was far too late. Lothar Lewis tempted the opener with a wider one, which was snaffled by the keeper. However, there was time for only one more over which meant that the Mogs had delivered 23 overs in the last hour but after 40 overs Ewhurst remained undefeated on 166-4.
MWCC Stats