It was one of those weeks. On Wednesday morning we had 4 available for the Sunday fixture at East Horsley. There was a lot of discussion amongst Mogs committee members about cancelling the game. To add to our slight guilt, we had emailed the opposition whose terrifically positive and helpful response only made us feel worse about being understrength and under-resourced....
There was a call to arms from the Colonel - Thursday afternoon we had 7. Friday morning we had 9. Friday afternoon we had 10 and by Saturday morning we had 11...
In fact on Sunday lunchtime there were 5 Mogs sitting in the wonderful Duke of Wellington pub garden having a few beers with the sun shining - it had all the hallmarks of a marvellous Mogs Sunday. There was a quick call to skipper Tharp to request we bat first, as the 5 mischievous Mogs were still in the pub garden 8 minutes before the game was due to kick off. However, the proud 11 were all at East Horsley to watch Luke Bellars (last minute ringer #1) walk out to bat with Furns. Luke's first delivery dispatched with confidence to the boundary...hhmmm, interesting (note to reader: Bellars was one of the 5 at the pub for the pre-match warm ups). After a great start for Luke Bellars, unfortunately Furns fell pretty quickly for 0 (note to reader: Furns was not at the pub, engaging in pre-match preparations). This brought a promoted Will Dowling to the crease. Will unfortunately received the best ball of the day from the EH bowling attack and lost his castle to an in-swinging, toe crunching yorker, totally out of the blue (note to reader: despite Will being at the pub, it was a completely unplayable and exceptional delivery, and nothing to do with the pre-game choice of hydration).
It was a pleasure to welcome back Toby Briggs to the Mogs fray, as he advanced to the wicket batting at number 4. I feel I am not doing Luke literary justice - the Mogs are 2 down, for about 20 or 30 runs, of which Luke had at that point scored all of them. He was batting beautifully, and being joined by the confident, big hitting Briggsy, the score started to accumulate. There were boundaries a plenty and the EH bowling was now struggling to contain the Mogs batsmen; both Luke and Briggsy moving to their respective half centuries.
After a drinks and sanitise break, Briggsy lost his wicket to the slow and increasingly unpredictable pitch. However, on his return Toby was out for a very biffing 60 in only 49 balls (note to reader: Briggsy was one of the aforementioned famous 5 at the Duke of Wellington a little earlier). Luke was continuing to play some wonderful drives and pulls to all parts of the boundary, and was joined by Srikanth Vuppala (last minute ringer #2). Unfortunately, as Sri had decided not to meet fellow Mogs at the pub for a beer before the game, he got no runs.
Luke was still batting.
It wasn't too much longer and Luke reached his maiden hundred for the club - it was a truly terrific knock from 101 balls. There was a discussion at the middle as to whether Luke should carry on or retire having reached his 100, to which Charlie confirmed, and drawing on his vast experience at having NEVER EVER been in that situation, that Luke should continue batting. There was no let up as Jamie Freeland made his way in at number 7. Jamie continued the score board accumulation and without anyone really noticing smashed his way to 53* off 37 balls; not least having to deal with a very grumpy skipper who shouldered arms to a delivery outside off, only to hear an appeal and be given out caught behind - strange one!!
So with only three batsmen scoring notable runs, albeit one of them being a fantastic ton, the Mogs managed a very competitive target of 268 for 8 off 40 overs.
Will Dowling and Andrew Hoad (last minute ringer #3) opened the bowling. Hoady bowled well and was a perfect tonic to the uneasy pitch and swinging conditions. In fact very early on and in total contract to the experiences of Tharp half an hour before, encouraged the EH opener to play and "miss" at one outside off. Despite a very confident appeal from the Mogs, he was given not out. However, Hoady continued bravely and was eventually rewarded for his excellent bowling with a wicket (note to reader: Hoady was happily sitting at the pub hours before enjoying a drink before the game). Both Will and Hoady bowled well and contained EH to a low score after the first 10 overs. It was clear the EH batsmen, although wickets not falling, were struggling to score at the necessary rate. Srikanth continued the miserly spell and introduced some excellent darts from the Pavilion end, also being rewarded with a wicket; this being one of 2 inspiring catches taken by none other than Luke 'Thanks for coming" Bellars. In fact all the Mogs fielded very well, which was highlighted by 7 of the EH wickets being 'caught out'. The EH batsmen struggled against the early Mogs bowling, and soon realised (one desperately trying to up the run rate despite being with runner) they needed to score, and to score fast. However, the required impetus was introduced by the Mogs and it was the gallant skipper Tharp who bowled a marathon spell of 11 overs and secured a well-deserved five wicket haul that turned the game, and with it possibly some personal vengeance. One of those wickets (unsurprisingly caught) was an absolute stunningly, acrobatic and totally unnecessarily 'Hollywood' catch from Jamie Freeland: The batsmen took an almighty swish at one from Tharpy, it skewed off the edge and looped to a waiting Toby Briggs at backward point. With plenty of time for Toby to calculate the square root of 4791 AND take the catch, the rest of the side moved towards their skipper, confident that distanced celebration was about to ensue. The celebration however was mildly delayed, as a loud "NOT MINE" went up from mathematician Briggs, flat refusing to catch the vector of disease (or allegedly something to do with the sun). Without a second thought for his wellbeing, Jamie sprinted from 2nd slip, like an "Over 40's International Duathlete" and dived full length at the feet of Briggsy to bag the one-handed catch....what a marvellous effort.
Doctor Bhat, encouraged to cancel all his weekend plans in order to play, (more likely tempted by a cold pint care of the Duke), was given the ball and proceeded to wrap up the game, bowling out the EH tail enders with some 'surgery like' precision slow right arm; The Doctor finishing with figures of 3 for 13 off 6 overs (note to reader: Murali would certainly have been at the pub given half the chance, but he just didn't know where it was!!)
The Mogs registered only their second win of this COVID curtailed season, but this victory was definitely done in style, winning by 115 runs. A mention to Calvin Bunyan for umpiring on the hot afternoon and also the joyous appearance of his wife Toni. Thanks also to the Keith and Linda Briggs, and Humph for coming to support. Finally a special mention to all the Mogs that stepped up and made themselves available to play from regulars to ringers; we were on the cusp of cancelling the game, and managed to turn it round to not only achieve a great victory but a fantastically fun day. I will leave you all with the "fact" that if you follow the constitution of the club and meet before the game, on a sunny day, for beer at a pub nearby the ground; to turn up with minutes to go before the start...you will get RUNS, WICKETS and/or CATCHES, and you will win the game.
I rest my case your honour.
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