Egerton

Match Report

Egerton is a ground in Kent where buzzards can been seen almost every over, circling the outfield and the adjacent Downs.  But even the Egerton buzzards, familiar with the vagaries of cricketers below, paused to take note of the explosive nature of the latter part of the Sraggler innings. Jonathan had been obliged to shuffle his batting order at late notice, as Gabriel, scheduled to open, demonstrated a surprising lack of familiarity with the railway system, and arrived in time to see openers Harry Heming and Arthur Collins settling in to address some accurate early bowling.  Together, they matched each other almost run for run through to the drink’s interval, Harry hitting a couple of big sixes, and Arthur piercing the leg side from time to time.  85 without loss after 18 overs seemed perfectly sufficient.  However, the Master Brewer had much greater targets in mind, and gave some particularly stirring encouragement as they headed back to the middle. Initially, it seemed that Jonathan had been ignored, as both ambled to half-centuries (Harry went from 36 to 50 in singles), reaching them within a couple of balls of each other.  However, everything changed from that point. Arthur set the tone by reaching 50 with his first six, followed by another in quick succession.  Harry was not going to be out done and changed up a couple of gears.  Egerton is a small ground, as Straggler bowlers have found in past encounters.  It was definitely not big enough for Harry now, who accelerated to his ton with a flurry of boundaries before raising his sights. He hit 15 sixes in his innings, and of his last 20 scoring shots 12 were sixes. Having reached 80 run-for-run, Harry took the game away from Egerton, and as Arthur became becalmed, just shy of his century, Harry moved from 80 to 182, while Arthur crept to 99.  Sadly, a maiden Straggler century was not to be.  With the score on 291, Arthur smacked a ball straight to extra cover and was gone.  The partnership had already gone past the Straggler record for the first wicket (221 George Baker White and Benny Smallwood in 2019) and then tore past the record for any wicket (240 Matthew Schilder and Giles Brealy in 1997).  The record for the first wicket had previously been held by Arthur’s grandfather, Jeremy Barnes, 207* accompanied by the Founder, Wyndham Fletcher, in 1957.  With Arthur’s demise, George Long, who had been padded up patiently for 32 overs, came and went swiftly, falling to an excellent ball (according to his father standing as umpire). Harry was now closing in on the record individual Straggler score (Matthew Schilder 195* at Boughton under Blean in 1997) and was two blows away from the first Straggler double century (as noted, Harry was only really dealing in sixes at this point), when he miscued very slightly and an exceptional catch was held on the boundary edge, Harry gone for 188. Cricket can be a cruel game, when being out for 188 is a momentary disappointment; there is always another peak to climb.  Archie Brealy was at the crease long enough to hit a six as well, and the Stragglers closed with 309 for 3 from 35 overs.  The pick of the Egerton bowlers was Isabel Gronow, who held Harry and Arthur in check in the middle of the onslaught.

Ed Prest had not bowled for a season or more and began his spell with an unusual choice – the slow bouncer.  And very successful it proved as a catch was gently gloved through to Harry behind the stumps – no rest for him. With a target, which was almost certainly beyond them, the Egerton batsmen dug in to salvage some pride, and were aided in this endeavour by the Stragglers putting down a couple of catches – Sef has the patience of a saint, as he seems to be the bowler least well supported in this department. Having arrived too late to open the innings, Gabriel came on at first change, now as a reinvented left arm spinner.  And to almost immediate effect as the well-set opener launched him down the ground into the safe hands of Ricky Churchill hiding under the trees.  Gabriel upped the pressure, now with debutant Rex Long bowling with annoying accuracy at the other end, and produced a series of beautiful balls to remove much of the Egerton middle order, the pick of the bunch being his caught and bowled, a very high catch back pedalling furiously, with the hooves of the Master Brewer thundering in behind him.  Egerton were now 93 for 7, Gabriel 5 for 21.  Late resistance emerged in the form of young Isabel, who joined her skipper to put on 37 for the 7th wicket, before being removed by a lovely yorker from Archie.  With the Egerton skipper electing to sweep the Chairman (3 for 8), the end was not far away, and the final three wickets fell in a rush, Egerton all out for 136 to the first ball of the final over.  Victory by 173 runs is the sixth largest Straggler winning margin, when batting first, and 309 the third highest Straggler total on record.  The highest Straggler total is the 343 for 3 against Boughton under Blean, when Matthew and Giles put on what, until today, was the highest Straggler partnership for any wicket, and when Matthew posted 195*.