Format: Declaration. Debut: Charlie Knightly
The Mogs lost a thrilling game by 2 runs to kickstart Dumbleton’s cricket week on a bright, breezy July afternoon. Our hosts ground looked a picture and 11 Mogs (plus 2 rolling substitutes) took to the field to see if we could find a win against our always strong opposition. James Cady and Alfie Hewitt opened up and it was Cady that got his name on the (imaginary) honours board with a quite remarkable spell of fast, inswing bowling that saw him take 5-23 in an unchanged spell from the cricket net end. All 5 wickets were clean bowled and Dumbleton could never remember someone taking 5 wickets before lunch, with each wicket not involving a fielder or an umpire. Alfie and Harry bowled well into the hurricane force wind, with the younger brother unlucky to see a regulation catch go down in the covers. The spinners were on before lunch and Huge struck in his second over, with the outside edge being claimed brilliantly at gully by Reigate Priory guest, David Gent. Ash Bhukari then struck with Rob Brown taking an equally sublime snorter at slip to see our hosts in some trouble at 103-7 at lunch. Our fielding was pretty great all day.
As ever our hosts provided a magnificent lunch and oppo skipper Will Sharpe, asked Trigger if he might consider bringing some easier bowling on to ensure the Mogs made a game of it! Still batting, was overseas pro and first class cricketer “Haga†- a terrific Sri Lankan (on and off the pitch) and one of the best fielders I have ever seen (in any format of cricket) – soon the scoreboard was ticking over and then rotating at a quite remarkable speed as Cooper, Hewitt, Lewis & Brown saw the ball disappearing to all parts. Cooper got rid of their captain, via a quite remarkable catch by Alfie Hewitt at Deep Mid Wicket and Alfie also got rid of Haga too as the Mogs restricted Dumbleton to a below par 193.
So confident was Trigger with an away win that he instantly ordered a Moretti from the bar, but the froth was still settling when Ash played on, first ball of our reply. David Gent was joined by Essex Over 50 player and guest for the day Charlie Knightly, but when both Charlie and Rob Brown lost their wickets, the Mogs were only on 45. At five The Mogs had the mercurial talent of Charlie “Dairy†Lee available and he batted beautifully before guiding a low full toss to gully. Turner, Hewitt & Cady all disappeared in a flash and when Gent also fell, for a commendable half century, The Mogs required 60 runs with just two wickets left.
Club Captain Cooper was joined by Alfie Hewitt and slowly but surely these two got “inâ€, rotated the strike and started to hit the bad balls to the boundary. They couldn’t…..could they? They put on 54 runs for the 9th wicket but Dumbleton brought their 1st XI quicks back on and with just 6 needed, Alfie was bowled trying to secure the win by biffing a full ball over the marquee. Cock-a-hoop, Dumbleton smelled victory and although Harry & Coops saw us only need 3 runs, Harry was outdone by a full, fast ball, leaving Coops marooned on 49* and our hosts retaining the “Powelly†trophy, proudly awarded by his father Vern, after a most moving speech by Trigger.
As ever our hosts put on a sensational evening for the Mogs and the 70 or so spectators enjoyed a delicious BBQ, before Justice Parker & Hewitt dished out some fines, Bucket got his guitar out for a sing along and the Mogs ensured the Dumblies needed to visit the supermarket as we must have drunk them out of gin. Huge thanks to all at Dumbleton (particularly Bucket, Nick & Goff), the officials, Trigg for organising and the 13 Mogs that made the journey down. It really is the most tremendous day out….
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