A Sun bathed Maori Oxshott welcomed the smattering of Mogs who were available for the 2nd game of the season. Maori once again, showed what true friends of the club they were by supplying us with the required 3 players. Our old comrade Steve Saker volunteered (after coercion) and we were offered two youngsters for ritual cricketing sacrifice.
Maori won the toss and elected to bat first on a hot day and early indicators in the game suggested a run feast. One chance created by the ever hard working Lewis spilled in the slips by Cooper and a number of play and misses. Often dot balls don't make the match report but Lewis also reports a delivery so good that it pitched outside leg and beat the edge of the bat. A truly unbelievable delivery in the very literal meaning of the word. Lewis toiled fantastically well on a batsman's paradise for 4 top class wickets.
The bowlers sweated their fill on a hot day, small ground and fast outfield. Once the batters had got themselves in, the biffing commenced. 120 scored from one opener (not too expensive a drop then) and a very quick fire 90 in next to no time from Maori's young middle order batsman saw a confident Maori display rack up 302 in 31 overs. You can see the figures, not pretty. Highlight of the innings was the drinks break. An excellent mix of orange to water, chilled to approximately 7 degrees centigrade. It really does show the benefits of involving professional service staff in such matters and a lesson for all grounds really.
A sporting or possible Saker-influenced declaration saw Mogs handed back around 50 overs to chase 300. With batting unknown the prospects of a successful run chase ranged from "easy" (Maori wicket keeper) to "Donald Trump's chance of a discount in Chipotle" (a metaphor I just made up with 3 coffees in me and a deadline). A range of outcomes to be considered over a tea, again, professionally mastered with a strong savoury selection just warmed and plenty of sandwiches, nostalgic biscuit varieties and a range of drinks. Something for everyone, but we should all consider the Alan Partridge buffet strategy of a 12 inch plate next time. Your writer for the game went with a tactic of frequent visits opting for little and often. Important to plan ahead I think with this one with so much on offer.
Cooper and Furner opened the batting with a view to trying to get off to a flyer to allow the middle order a bit of slack when the pace comes off the ball. Unbelievably the strategy paid off with both batsmen punishing anything short meaning the run rate ticked along at a comfortable 7 or 8 runs an over. Mogs were optimistic but aware of the difficulties in sustaining a 300 odd score. Cooper in particular continued to occupy the crease and put away the short stuff. A partnership of around 160 with very little efforts a credit to the outfield and pitch but at the half way stage and the unknown batting order still marginally favoured "runs on the board".
Furner departed for 30 and in came Mogs debutant Peter "Ted/Mark/Emlyn" Hughes and any anxieties about the strength of the batting order quickly dissolved with 3 of the most elegant cover drives in his first 6 balls. Response to compliments about his cover drive were met with "it's the only shot I know" filling many bottom hand Billies into rages of jealousy. Cooper took a liking to the army of right arm offspin on offer, opting to simply remain in the position for the sweep shot in between balls and finding success in between the keepers left ear and back stop. Cooper's hundred came soon after spinner number 4's first over and a proud moment for the opener on a ground where he average's somewhere close to 80. Probably because it is the only boundary in the fixture list other than Headley he has a chance of clearing.
Cooper fell for 112 and Hughes continued the onslaught through the covers with Maori child sacrifice number 1 (CS1), Ed who even found a Mogs colour helmet for the day. Another well constructed partnership including more brutal cover drives (Hughes) and dainty sweeps (Ed CS1). Before we knew it, the Mogs had only 30 runs to get off the last 10 and continued professionally and with poise. Only disappointment was Maori's young opening bowler Olly (CS2) receiving the best ball of the game first up. A promising opening bowling spell from him early in the game though will surely see him wreaking similar havoc on the stumps in future years. Lee and Saker then delivered the victory with 5 overs to spare to finalise a very calm and satisfying run chase.
Other highlights include: Eggson's figures, Cooper's dropped catch of the opener leaving him minus 10 for the day after his own hundred, Stand-in captain Cooper considered retirement on at least 4 occasions from the role before receiving the full backing of the board only for a hastily arranged press conference to then be cancelled upon news of his debut captaincy hundred.
Finally the last word must go to Maori's generosity and spirit as well as supplying 25% of the opposition and retiring their own centurion, said they were happy for the Mog's batters to carry on until dismissed. Mogs were also supplied "members price" ale for the day. Consideration should be given for making this a bank holiday fixture and combining both team's appetite for a burning anus. Here's hoping for better availability next year as this really is one of the highlights of the fixture calendar ticking all the boxes.
Will Cooper
MWCC Stats