The Mogs were welcomed at Ewhurst with the knowledge that it was their Presidents Day and with the sun reappearing it provided the superb back drop to a fantastic days cricket. However, it wasn't the cricket that proved the best thing about the day.....it wasn't the beautiful location or the wonderful sunshine that provided the most satisfying element of the weekend.
One may have thought it was a the terrific hundred scored by Ashon, his second of the season. Which was indeed a super knock, showing some tremendous drives both from front foot and back...but no
It could have been the largest six I think I have ever seen, unfortunately off the bowling of Andy Tharp (who persevered tremendously well, and with true British grit and determination picked up 4 wickets, which could have been more, had a few difficult catches been clung onto), and executed with complete confidence and a little distain from the young Ewhurst number 6. He was only following in the style of batting that his 5 colleagues previously had demonstrated, There was a general consensus from the elder members of the Mogador Wanderers that the Ewhurst approach was very muck akin to a "Death or Glory!" style of batting...very modern. To be fair there was more than a few 'glorious' shots. Some very clean hitting from some of the young Ewhurst players, in particular their number 5 who finished on 70 odd not out (and then proceeded to open the bowling as well)....
No, it was not the monstrous hitting from the Ewhurst youth.
It certainly wasn't the Mogs fielding that looked a little tired and slow, nonetheless a couple of good catches were taken by the select: Tharp, Bukhari, Parker, Saker, Cooper and Furner to finish.
Well....It was of course the heavenly, substantial and truly satisfying, presidential TEA.....!!
With Cooper already coming down from a scone coma (experienced during an interesting and educational conference in Birmingham days before), he was about to endure the most pleasant Surrey, sunshine saturated, pastry baked snacks that anyone could dream of...
Hot sausage rolls and mini Cornish pasties, delicately warmed quiche (of various flavours), lightly temperate party sausages and bowlfuls of thinly cut "frites avec mayonnaise"...all of these ably supported with sandwiches freshly prepared with favourite fillings of beef and horseradish, bacon/lettuce and tomato, egg and cress, corned beef and pickle and ham and mustard.
...and for desert - a selection of sponge based cakes, nostalgic biscuits (a must for any highly qualified mid innings nutritional break) and fairy cakes topped with the club motif...a truly excellent promotion of Sunday club teas. A huge thank you to the mother/daughter delivery from the limited kitchen facilities and a genuine honour to their club President. If only every tea in the season could be a President's Day tea....
Oh....
This was indeed followed by a very professional and successful run chase from the Mogs, with the aforementioned century from opener Bukhari and a very well supported satchel of twenties from Furner and Fisher, finished with a confident splash of boundaries from Burton...to confidently and efficiently seal a marvellous victory for the Wanderers by 8 wickets, with a few overs to spare.
But to be honest, it didn't matter...Still lingering in the sun with memories of sumptuous offerings and a pint (Lee and Saker having agreed with captain Tharp that when within 20 runs of victory they could have a beer!)
Well done Tharp for getting Ewhurst back on the roadmap, and well done everyone for making summer Sunday afternoon's what they should always be.
Yours sincerely and sufficiently filled,
Charlie
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