Byron CC

Match Report

The tourists warmed up for the second game with a visit to Glyfada beach and a few beers at lunch before heading back to the Marina Ground at Gouvia.  On another very warm late afternoon in Corfu, the Stragglers continued in winning form.  Invited to bat first, the Straggs wobbled briefly, Hugo offering a hard chance to cover and Will F back in the pavilion in a flash – 5 for 2 not the start required.  Patch and Harry held firm until Patch interrupted his fluent form by walking for a catch behind, which had been not been given by the umpire and almost no one appealed, gone for 23.  Harry was enjoying himself again in the heat, another two long sixes into the scrub beyond the straight boundary.  “Walking” was becoming a thing, as Charlie now followed Mitch, the ball having gently brushed a glove, the umpire oblivious, and then Harry was well caught by young Spiros for 44 (97 for 5).  This left the field for the undefeated batsmen from yesterday to continue in much the same vein.  Whereas on Friday Freddie had dominated the strike, now it was the turn of Gabriel, and the run rate picked up sharply, aided once more by some profligacy with wides.  Gabriel got in some heading practice to some short-pitched balls, the second strike getting the sole sommelier, Andrew Ross, concerned that he should have a change of helmet.  And there was a crowd (of 3), as Andy Ford of Himbleton CC in Worcestershire had spotted the posters promoting the Straggler tour in town and popped over with his son to watch some cricket on holiday!  What became clear as the end of the innings approached (194 for 5 from 20 overs) was that the Straggs really only needed to have brought three batsmen – Harry, Freddie and Gabriel. The latter pair added another undefeated partnership to that of the day before (this time 97).  To date on tour, Harry has 91, Freddie 71 and Gabriel 66, have scored some 73% of runs scored from the bat.

Byron CC, featuring a number of our friends from the day before, did not get the chase off as planned.  Harry Pat (emerging from behind the stumps to open the bowling, nicked one out in the first over (high catch held with 9 fingers by Mitch), and then his opening partner, Jonno, induced another skier for Gabriel (reserve keeper) to gather safely, 5 for 2.  However, there was still plenty of batting to come, and the score was keeping well up with the rate required.  An over from the Chairman went round the park, but the final ball trapped one of those who had done much damage on the previous day leg before.  This brought danger man, Aslam Mohammed to the crease.  The next wicket would be key, and Will Evans duly delivered, failing to take a return catch but very skilfully (deliberately?) deflecting the ball on to the stumps to leave non-striker, Aslam, stranded.  This proved to be the first of three run outs, the second a hard boundary throw, again Will E, beating the batsmen coming back for a second, and then a typical mix-up with a runner, when all three batsmen arrived at the same end.  Alex, Hugo and Will F all chipped in with wickets and the chase fell away, with some younger local cricketers not able to deal with the spinning ball, not least that from Hugo’s left arm.  The innings closed on 142 for 9, victory for the Stragglers by 52 runs.

The evening then moved to another level, as the Straggs, accompanied by sommelier, Andrew Ross, were collected by a large RIB, powered by twin 300HP outboards for a swift transfer across the bay to dinner in some style at Glypha.  Fines master Jonno had his finger on the pulse of the tour, although he suffered a substantial penalty for poisoning Fenwick (allergic to hazelnuts and offered a hazelnut liqueur).