Fixture Secretary’s XI

Match Report

With swallows swooping over the lush green outfield and some signs of a brief return to summer (between the showers), Stragglers gathered at Belmont for a rearranged Inter-Straggs game, with some new faces (6 debutants), a trio of Pullens and two Stragglers returning to the fray after long sabbaticals – Will Renwick (a single outing since 2015) and Hamish Morrison (playing golf since 2011).

Ten-a-side creates gaps in the field, and Harry Pattinson, skipper of the Fixture Secretary’s X opted to bat and set a target. The Straggs opened with a brace of Pullens (Ben and Rufus) to deal with Oscar Pullen opening the batting with Freddie Evans, and Rufus managed to find a thin edge through to James Pollington behind the stumps to remove Oscar (11). Ben then cleaned up Arthur Moffat with a straight one. Tom Tribe, captaining the Straggs, now opted for serious absence of pace, introducing Will Evans and Will Renwick, the former extracting some sharp turn and bounce, while Will R (2 for 18) managed to remove so much pace from the ball that the batsmen were really worried that the ball would ever turn up.  He removed the other Evans (Freddie – 33) caught by his brother, and then Archie Brown, who fell to a quite remarkable catch at short mid-wicket, Tom T appearing to fly and reaching an impossible ball one handed, the first of three nominations for the champagne moment of 2023 from this game alone.  Everyone recalls the ‘ball of the century’ with which Shane Warne announced his arrival in Ashes cricket; Thomas Bishop achieved much the same with a perfect, straight grubber, which his elderly uncle, the Master Brewer (20), did not treat with sufficient respect and played casually across the line only to hear the bails dislodged behind him. Jonathan’s reaction was very much that of Gatting in 1990, astonishment, and worth the match fee for that alone (and the second champagne moment nomination). Now an innings, which had been meandering slowly to 80 in 20 overs, caught fire spectacularly. Hamish Morrison was a very late call up to the game (enquiry at 11am, arrival at 1.30pm and batting by 2.15) and he was not going to waste a moment at the crease. Supported very ably by Harry P, Hamish raced to 50 in a partnership of 118 in slightly fewer than 10 overs. Straggler bowlers took some tap, the most spectacular of which was a reverse sweep for 6 off the Chairman over wide third man (another nomination). Harry was doing his best to keep up at the other end but giving Hamish the strike seemed to be working well. It took a fast straight one, clipping the top of middle, from Archie Brealy to remove Hamish for 88, the score now 202 for 6. Harry upped a gear and passed 50 as well, eventually out for 57 with Will Evans (2 for 40) brought back to deal with the tail. Jasper Williams (14) arrived late to hit a few over the top in the company of Neil Bishop, but Gabriel Hamlyn needed only one ball to induce a false shot and wrap up the innings – 245 all out.

A more than sumptuous tea (thank you for all the contributions) settled Straggler openers, Gabriel and Archie, sent out to face Jasper and Freddie, neither of whom gave much away. Archie was picked off by Jasper, and James P followed shortly thereafter, the score at 50 for 2. Gabriel was joined by skipper Tom, and together they gave a masterclass in a how to chase. Always up with the rate and running singles at will (a big ground and ten fielders began to hurt), only 112 was required from the final 20. Gabriel reached his century (on debut) with another fine boundary, and retired on 103*, a partnership with Tom of 161. Rufus joined the fray, where he demonstrated one shot, a seven iron over long on, to great effect. He is working on a second shot but may be over complicating matters by going for the reverse sweep – still very much a work in progress. Hamish had Tom caught by Jasper off a skied miscue for 73, leaving Will Renwick to share in the glory of victory, with Rufus not out on 24*. An under-utilised bowler, Alec Boyd, came on to bowl a maiden at the close, but too little too late. The Straggs ended on 247 for 3, victory by 6 wickets and the first win since late May.