On a glorious summer’s afternoon in Henley, the skipper did something right by winning the toss and choosing to bat in this forty over match.
Matt Bennison and Sujay Chakravarti powered ahead, with Matt particularly harsh on anything short. With 60 off ten overs the captain was relatively content apart from the worrying absence of Matt Luxford. Sadly, Sujay was pinned in front and Crispin joined his Cazenove colleague at the crease, but not for long as he missed a straight one soon after. Matt tried to hit a full toss to the longest part of the ground (and failed) for an excellent fifty. So father and son (Jeremy and Ludo Milne) took up the baton and proved a resourceful pairing until Jeremy turned blind for a second run and was sent back by his son. With the turning circle of a small oil tanker, Jeremy failed to reach port and was run out. Ludo hit out and got out after that and it was left to Hobbo and Toby Glover (debuting for the Buccs) to consolidate and then accelerate – which they did. Toby using some agricultural equipment and Hobbo employing the foil. Hobbo did scare a few lunchers in the adjoining pub as he flayed a six over extra cover into the netting over their heads. Rob played and missed at a few and it was left for Warwick Okines (back from the wilderness) to scamper a few in the final overs. Hobbo valiantly went for an extra run off the final ball and fell on his sword for a fine 40 and a total of 191.
After an excellent tea, in which we saw Arsenal score and then concede, the Buccs took to the field with ten fielders under fifty, as Matt Luxford had failed to show up. The skipper bowled a tidy line and picked up both openers and his son, Tom, ran in hard from the other end. Toby replaced Tom to bowl a fine first spell which bamboozled the oppo and included two wickets. Rob completed his eight overs, since he was in no condition to come back for a second spell (having foolishly played the day before) and then it was Hobbo’s turn. Medium pace is not a fair description and his slower slow ball is hard to quantify. Anyway he bowled a great four overs. So then to the spinners, Warwick bowling well after a two year break and as is ever the way for leg spinners, failing to get his just rewards. One over had three chances but none were taken. So the rank full toss smacked to Toby at mid wicket was all part of the ying and yang of the universe. This put the brakes on a bit, but Mr Gould was still bashing it to all parts – a six over long on just missing Sujay’s Jaguar was most impressive. Jeremy was spinning it from the other end but the lack of an extra fielder did begin to hurt. Warwick did account for Mr Gould with a caught and bowled but Chappel (T) and Laing steered Henley home with a well paced five an over for the last five overs, winning with four balls to spare.
Innings of Buccaneers
M Bennison ct Price b G Chappel 52
S Chakravarti lbw G Chappel 21
C Vollers bowled G Chappel 0
J Milne run out 8
L Milne st Gould b Mandharan 23
P Hobson run out 40
T Glover bowled Kenworthy 19
R Rydon bowled Laing 13
W Okines not out 1
T Rydon did not bat
M Luxford did not show up
Total 191
A Chappel 8-1 29-0
Laing 6-0-36-1
G Chappel 8-0-31-3
Kenworthy 8-0-36-1
Price 3-0-19-0
Johnson 3-0-21-0
Mandharan 4-0-10-1
Innings of Henley
Gurung bowled R Rydon 4
P Neville lbw R Rydon 5
Price bowled Glover 27
Johnson bowled Glover 6
Gould ct & bwld Okines 63
Mandharan ct Glover b Okines 26
P Chappel st Chakravarti b Okines 0
T Chappel not out 31
Laing not out 22
Total 195 for 7
R Rydon 8-3-14-2
T Rydon 3-0-16-0
T Glover 7-0-46-2
P Hobson 7.2-0-32-0
W Okines 8-0-46-3
J Milne 6-0-36-0