About 10 minutes from the town of Farnham lies the quaint village of Tilford, and after last year’s debacle, the Buccaneers returned looking to even the score – and the game did not disappoint.
We won the toss and due to the sun shining, the tasty beverages, and his fixed position at 11, the Match Manager opted to bat first.
Marsh and Clark got things off, but alas there were a few cobwebs and the opening bowlers performed with discipline (unlike that of traditional curtain raising performances) and thus managed to remove Marsh, Milne and Kalidasan in quick succession. All of a sudden it was 9-3 off 3 overs.
Valentine confidently blocked out the hat-trick ball but was soon bounced out by the very smart T Windsor. It was looking slightly ominous at 25-4 off 8 overs and somewhat similar to last year’s performance.
Enter debutant Ben Hayes wearing much borrowed kit and a spotless MCC jumper. He took a Baz Ball approach reaching a quickfire 42 including seven well struck fours. He battled well with G. Clark to take the team to a much more respectable total of 89-4. Nevertheless, Hayes succumbed to a commentator’s curse (by someone who shall remain nameless) and Clark fell the very next ball for a toiling 19.
Pexton and A Marsh offered some encouraging shots, supporting L. Milne but were removed in quick fashion with O Robertson also following suit. The late order collapse brought Robertson Sr to join Milne Jr to the crease with the score at 141-9 off 27 overs (with the latter on 28 not out). Evidently concerned he may not hit the heights of his performance last season due to the ability of his partner, Ludo went on the offensive, hitting an array of boundaries including six 6s which prompted a rapid emptying of the nearby car park. Due to the slow over rate, the Match Manager had warned of his intention to declare on the bell of 15.45 and even the striking of three consecutive 6s as Ludo raced to his century couldn’t convince the man otherwise. Ludo ended on 93* with the Buccs on 226-9 off 33 overs.
A short tea followed with the highlight being O.Robertson depriving the umpire of the last sausage roll, a decision which he would end up regretting.
The familiar pairing of C. Pexton and H. Robertson took the new ball and some tidy cricket was played – both managing to remove the bails of an opener in quick succession. Enter Robertson Jr. He bowled some steady lines and lengths before an opposition batsman (turned on-field umpire) overturned an initial decision of LBW (appealled by the batsman due to his bat being involved). The umpire reminded Ollie that sausage roll theft, whilst on the face of it a harmless act, is one that is rarely without consequence. Decision overturned.
Nevertheless, he grabbed his deserved wicket a few overs later, again finding the middle stump and removing R. Seabrook for four. He was later replaced by Ludo who found a bit more zip off the pitch. Meanwhile, some ‘quiet’ conversations occurred with the non-striking batsman, prompting a minor delay and change of action for Ludo to some nice off spin, which took another wicket.
At the other end, Archie M toiled away and claimed two wickets on a spicy pitch – including a sharp catch from stand-in but impressive keeper Kalidasan. The young batsman graciously walked having been given not out onfield. A Valentine also grabbed his second ever Buccs wicket (we won’t mention the four previous balls).
All of a sudden the score was 208 for 7 needing 19 off three overs. Conscious of the earlier unprecedented ‘conversations’, H Robertson took up the role of off spinner and claimed two wickets thus prompting a nailbiting finish. A few tough chances in the field fell short and the game ended in an entertaining draw with Tilford finishing on 215 for 9, 12 runs short of their target.
Beers with the opposition followed and all left in good spirits