It's Sunday, it's 1pm & for the third week running, I am driving through pouring rain to cricket! But the game was on & the Mogs have 11 players, thanks to Gail Jackson not going into labour! The toss is won by Mogs skipper Matt & he sends in Jackson & Furner on a rather green strip to open the batting. Mr Furner gets off the mark with a four, & off they go at a nice leisurely Sunday pace. First wicket to go is Stuart for 49 (this is becoming a habit Stu!) with the score on 80. Tharpy & Jimmy H get in & out before Richard Moss steadies the middle order & increases the run rate that had nearly come to a grinding halt. With 15 minutes to go Woldingham managed to slow the over rate to an incredible 10overs an hour leaving debutant Andy G only 4 balls to try & smash out of the ground. Tea is taken at 173-5d with Furner 67* and Andy G 8*.
Abbott & Briggs (sounds like a lawnmower manufacturer) open up & Keith has the outside edge of the opener smartly taken by, you've guessed it Andy T at first slip. Darrell bowled with a great line & length but finished his spell without a wicket in the last column. Andy G took over from Darrell & after 5 years out of cricket you can see the left armer taking wickets this year, but not on this overcast & cold spring day!
Jimmy H in a rich vein of form this year came on for Keith, but unfortunately to start with his arm & shoulder didn't want to work in harmony with the rest of his hirsute body! But being the focused sort, he continued to pick up 4 wkts before being replaced by Dave Stevens who had already contributed to the game with a good catch on the boundary. Dave probably spent most of Sunday evening trying to get the feeling back into his left hand after stopping a rocket of a shot, but justice was done with a fine caught and bowled 2 balls later and he finished with very respectable figures with 2 wkts. Matt had a go from pavilion end before Keith replaced him with Woldingham on 150-8. With 3 overs to go the no11 batsmen decides to take 2 to the ginger skipper who, incensed, threw the ball back to Colonel Parker who had to move 10 feet to his right to collect it before running out the last man.
Job done! A Mogs win & off the lads went for a game of bingo down the British Legion!
Author - Matthew Lewis.
MWCC Stats