Match Report

Stragglers, who have the great privilege of representing the Belmont Trustees for their annual fixture against the Band of Brothers, arrived on a glorious summer day to find a young(ish) BB side dominated by two families, the Pollingtons (3, including skipper Will), and the Elliotts (4). Do Straggler skippers ever win the toss? Well, not today as the Straggs found themselves in the field in the noon day sun. Taking the new ball, Angus Balfour roared down the hill and, with his third ball found a regulation edge to first slip. Unfortunately, first slip had not quite settled into the pace of the game and entertained his team mates to some circus quality juggling with series of failed attempts to cling on to the ball. As his long spell went on, Angus found a number of other edges, which flew wide of the cordon. He became increasingly ‘Stokes’ like, increasing pace with each over of frustration. Indeed, there was discussion around asking Angus to announce his retirement from cricket mid-spell, if that might produce another 10mph. At the other end, Nick Wright strove mightily but also without success, and it took Freddy Evans, coming on at first change to dislodge Tom Pollington, with the score in 81. Extreme pace off was introduced in the next over, as Angus headed off to guard a boundary, and it had immediate effect, with Arthur Elliot and then Will Pollington, both hanging their bat out to catch the gentlest of edges through to Benny behind the stumps (87 for 3). Freddy struck again, catching an edge from George Skinner, at which Freddy Geffen hurled himself to take a spectacular catch at second slip. Fortunately, first slip had seen nothing and did not move, but I am sure that the passing Spitfire had spotted the dive and acknowledged the quality of the catch with a dip of the wings – champagne moment material. The BB innings, which had not really been racing along, now stalled further, as the Chairman worked his way through the Pollingtons, as James managed to edge a ball back on to his stumps, with such gentle contact that the bail only just made it out of the groove. The BB retired to the marquee for lunch on 133 for 5 from 30 overs.

After lunch, the BB number 3 and Henry Elliott sought to up the rate and put on 46 for the 6th wicket before Henry failed to get enough on another slow ball and delivered it neatly to Nick Wright prowling inside the long-on boundary, the Chairman finally closing an eleven over spell with 4 for 44. Archie Barwell came uphill without success, followed by Archie Brown who teased out the number 3 for a well-constructed 73, Benny having plenty of time with the stumping. Freddy (3 for 47) returned for a final flourish and was rewarded when the Master Brewer made up for his drop (exactly 42 overs earlier) and took an excellent catch running away from the wicket (and with a lot of money backing the ball). The BB declared at the fall of the wicket, 222 for 8, to leave the Straggs a brisk chase.

Freddy Geffen began in imperious form, hitting four boundaries from the first over and continuing in much the same vein for the next few. Archie Brown (18) struck a few glorious boundaries before being undone by his great mate, Felix Elliott (the Straggler hat-trick hero of Sissinghurst). From then on, it was the Freddy Geffen show, with his partners doing their best to get off strike and avoid significant bruising. The Master Brewer (11) nicked a boundary through the slips, crashed another drive to rekindle memories of glory days, but rather too often was trying to avoid balls, which he could not see. Ben Simpson (16) survived a little longer but returned with a series of fresh bruises and a very large knuckle. Jasper joined Freddy, with the score on 159 for 3, and was comfortably addressing the pace.  With 13 possible overs remaining, it looked like a gentle stroll. However, Straggs have a habit of finding ways to make life hard. Jasper (23) hit a ball hard to long-on, where Felix took a low catch; and Freddy Evans came and went in an instant. For much of the last few overs, Freddy G had done a remarkable job of avoiding the strike, inching towards a match winning century with the occasional single. These tended to place his (mostly) reluctant partners in the firing line. Freddy finally reached his hundred, only to perish a few balls later for 107.

Matters were now in the more than capable hands of Benny, with Angus in support. With 25 runs required and seven overs left, it was time to drop a couple in the long grass and get the job done. Benny ended on 18*, and Angus hit the winning boundary, victory by 4 wickets. The match proved to be an excellent all round Straggler performance, the bowlers never quite letting the BB cut loose, aided by Jasper’s relentless management of field placings, keeping the rate to around 5 an over, while the batsmen set the tone early, with 7 an over from the start.