The Mogs, appropriately captained by Jamie Freeland, met at Chipstead & Coulsdon's lovely ground in the hope that they could overturn a run of two consecutive losses.
Mogador batted first with Graham Spring and Stuart 'ACTION' Jackson given the opportunity to put bat to willow. Steady progress was made until Spring picked out a fielder and was caught on 7.
MOGS 27-1
Hirst joined Jackson at the crease and the runs steadily increased with Jackson in particular scoring freely. Stuart no doubt happy to have avoided being out for three consecutive ducks on his whistlestop tour of the UK!
Hirst fell for 11 and Stuart was joined by Ben 'FACEMAN' Fairclough (36) and a partnership of 74 ensued. Jackson eventually out caught for a much applauded 74.
The innings then took a turn for the worse with the Mogs losing 6 wickets for just 35 runs!
A few moments of note being:-
1) Lewis having to rush out to bat in front of James 'LEGO HAIR' Brooker as Brooker was lacking all the appropriate equipment for batting.
Lewis stuck around just long enough for Brooker to sport the aforementioned equipment, and duly knicked one to the keeper for a two ball duck!
2) Brooker was run out much to his, the Mogs and indeed C&C's players' amazement!
3) A few lusty blows from Phil 'THE POWER' Davies
Freeland generously declared on 180-9.
Jamie no doubt concerned about time in the game with Chipstead taking almost two and a half hours to bowl 38 overs.
Tea was taken........Some old classic sandwiches and a new breaded chicken variety! Two types of jam for the scones and a bannoffee pie that Freeland assured me was 'To die for!'
The Mogs took to the field ever hopeful that they could defend their low total.
Lewis and Brooker opened the bowling and it was quickly evident that stemming the runs might not be so easy.
Davies replaced Brooker who finished with 1-26 off 4. Lewis finally bowled a ' really good ball' hitting the top of off stump to dismiss the other opening batsman finishing with 1-33 off 6.
Chipstead then put on a stand of 122 for the next wicket- a half decent catch from Lewis having previously run underneath one!
So Chipstead were 160-3 with plenty of overs left. For a while it seemed that the Chipstead batsmen were attempting to score the rest of the required runs in singles prompting a few of the Mogs to worry about valuable drinking time being wasted!
Thankfully the runs were scored, the players all shook hands and headed to the bar to imbibe various hop based refreshments.
Last but by no means the least it should be noted that the Mogs were once again finely supported by numerous wives/girlfriends, children, mothers, fathers, players past, present and future!
I know I speak for all when I say that on days like these there really is no better place to be on a summer Sunday afternoon!
Cheers
Theoffbreak
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