The Mogs arrived at East Horsley in good spirits, despite another difficult week with selection, with Joe 'Shipman' Bason making a very welcome return to the team for the first time this season, and another new debutant in Mr Paul Fisher - another recruit from the David Tharp Parents Association Foundation. There was also a return for the jolly Australian Wood, as early season the selection committee had highlighted that Grant lived about 100 yards from the East Hoarsely ground, and only needed to encourage him out of the very nearby Duke of Wellington pub (a terrific boozer) where he would have normally been camped.
Cooper was making his 27th appearance in a row for the Mogs, at the expense of a happy home life and was under strict instructions to leave early, so upon Captain Tharp winning the toss; there was no argument with the decision to field first.
East Horsley (EH) began a fair lick with the 1st team star took to the skies, and launched Brooker and Graham to all parts of the not overly large ground. James wins the award for the sledge of the year in homage to Jamie Freeland when having been hit for a huge six bounced the batsmen, hitting him on the helmet and then asked him politely (sic) if he could hit that for ****ing six. The evergreen Tim Drake was the other opener and James bowled him around his legs with score on 50 ish. Patrick was unlucky not get a wicket in his spell as he bowled some beauts, but with EH scoring freely Tharpy decided that pace was not the best option and turned to Will and Joseph to try and stem the flow of runs.
Will was bowling with control and skill, as was Joe until the batsmen worked him out and dispatched Joe for 4 boundaries in an over, and another change brought Joe Bason on to bowl, and the Mogs spin twins proceeded to take regular wickets whilst slowing the run rate considerably. After 37 overs, and to the surprise of all the Mogs, EH declared on 189-7 and left the Mogs 190 to score in what turned out to be 43 overs.
Tea consisted of shop bought sandwiches and cake, so a fairly low score on the Ditchling scale, but it was well received none the less.
Cooper and Furner opened the batting, with Will needing to depart early to make a dinner date with his wife. The chase started very slowly, in fact the first three overs were maidens but the pitch was not that easy to score freely on, aligned with a good opening spell from Tim Drake and the slow left arm spinner. Will was first to go when he missed a straight one from Tim Drake to be lbw, and as he departed for a lovely dinner, Grant Wood strolled to the crease and carried on where he left off at the Priory earlier in the season and made the scoring look easy. Peter was playing the usual role for him of anchoring the innings, and the anchor was well and truly set as Peter was next out having scored 25 in over an hour. Whilst many might think this slow, it was what was needed as batting was not that easy and whilst he was there Grant had scored over 50 runs and the Mogs approached the final 20 overs needing only 70 odd runs.
Now most of the seasoned readers to these reports will now that until the Mogs have the capability to collapse with the best of them, and under some very tight bowling and constant chatter from the EH youngsters, the pressure built and once Grant had departed for an excellent 80, 5 further wickets fell in pursuit of the total. This left the skipper and Joe Lewis at the crease with 15 runs needed off the last 3 overs and 2 wickets left. Tharpy had just about enough of the chatter and decided to teach the young Drake jnr jnr a lesson by dispatching him for 2 consecutive sixes, and when Joe hit a four in the next over the Mogs had won by 2 wickets.
Thanks go to John Moulton for scoring for us, to Charlie and James fielding for the oppo when they lost a player to injury, and to all the supporters who travelled to East Horsley to watch (The Fisher clan, Ken Rice, David Martin and Allan Lewis with Douglas)
The Mogs next game is this Friday against South Nutfield, it is the last game of their cricket week so please make yourselves available, your club needs you!!
Report started by Charlie, who couldn't finish it so Tharpy did!
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