In sunny but blustery conditions on a second day pitch more usually seen in Madras than Midhurst and post an animated discussion regarding the format of the game, the Buccs won the toss and decided to have first use of the only new ball on offer. Stringer led a side mimicking the strategy employed so successfully by Warwickshire in the mid-90s, packed as it was with ‘bits-and-pieces’ all rounders and devilish fielders.
Opening up with Wyartt (Cowdray House End) and Gwynn (now abbreviated) (Round House End), both delivered tidy opening spells with Gwynn picking up the wicket of Kemp. David West and Sandy Henderson, both were making their first appearances of the season, continued to bowl tidily, with Henderson in particular throttling the scoring with his mix of cutters, sliders and move-both-wayers to return 2-21 from his seven overs. Aggressive hitting from May (43) and Fourre (22) pushed the rate on, but then came a series of excellent catches to nip the resurgence in the bud. First was Wyartt’s steepler at deep mid-wicket in the swirling breeze (all agreed rather him than us) to remove Fourre. Then came Steve (Rhino) Brandes’ champagne moment with a one-handed leaping pouch to dismiss a bemused Moon, without scoring.
Despite tight and effective bowling from Leefe (3-20) and early man of the match candidate Brandes (2-27), Midhurst posted a useful total of 158 from their 40 overs on a wicket that was beginning to turn appreciably.
After an excellent tea – the quality of the cakes being particularly noted, the Buccs opened up with an experimental opening partnership of Gwynn and Hole. Neither now known for their athleticism, it was a trip too far down memory lane, to expect the other to cover the 22 yards in the three seconds required to complete the ambitious run. Needless to say they didn’t, and Gwynn was run out for 3. Hole looked like a man who was determined to make up for the error until he played round a straight one. Normal service looked like being resumed as Steele, continuing his strong recent form and Bradford pushed the scoring on. Once again the bowlers started to throttle the scoring, with some useful junior leg spin on show and with the wicket drying further allied to the now very old Newbury ball, stroke play became increasingly difficult. Leefe, Henderson and Brandes fell in quick succession. Stringer nursing a badly bruised leg from a gardening injury kept himself in reserve but was eventually forced to leave the hutch. His strokeplay was not aided by a torn calf muscle in the other leg that came on during the match but with the support of a runner in Henderson attempted a Gordon Greenidge like rearguard. Alas it was a push too far, and despite Stringer’s slogging and West’s clean hitting, the Buccs fell 21 runs short.
Innings of Midhurst
Davis – run out 20
Kemp – ct Stringer b Gwynn 1
May LBW Henderson 43
Fourre ct Wyartt b Henderson 22
Noon ct Brandes b Leefe 0
Leegool st Stringer b Leefe 10
Cowell b Brandes 15
Cox ct ? b Woolfries 22
Reid ct Brandes b Leefe 0
Green b Brandes 0
West not out 13
Extras 12
Total 158 all out
Wyartt 7-1-34-0
Gwynn 6-2-15-1
West 4-1-21-0
Henderson 7-2-21-2
Brandes 8-2-27-2
Leefe 6-1-20-3
Woolfries 2-0-11-1
Innings of Buccaneers
Hole b May 18
Gwynn run out 3
Steele b Reid 16
Bradford ct Leegool b Kemp 15
Leefe ct Cowell b Kemp 2
Henderson ct&b Reid 11
Stringer ct Leegool b Fourre 41
Brandes ct West b Reid 0
Woolfries b Cox 5
West ct May b Cowell 17
Wyartt not out 0
Extras 9
Total 137 all out
May 8-1-22-1
Green 8-0-35-0
Reid 8-2-9-3
Kemp 5-0-21-2
Cox 8-1-31-1
Cowell 2-0-10-1
Fourre 0.1.-0-0-1