Our illustrious President made a rare appearance in the middle at Hollingbourne, keen to be part of the action in a season of high profile umpiring decisions. And not a moment too soon, as Matthew Roberts, batting with great style, was undone on 81, and out strode the Master Brewer, itching to assert himself on the attack. Not many balls later, and too much hilarity in the pavilion, the Presidential finger was raised aloft, and the Brewer was master no longer.
Al Smallwood, who earlier had bowled with great composure, while the Hollingbourne big guns deposited almost everything in the field, chose to ignore the sage and calming advice from Andrew Cloke at the other end. “Plenty of time; nudge it around for ones and twos; don’t take any risks.” None of that for Al, who danced down the track to slap one back over the bowler’s head, and then, with the field backing off defensively, scored the winning runs with a delicately executed ‘dilscoop’ to finish the season in style.
