Full Fixture Information

Result Descriptiom

Drawn

Full Match Report

Result: Draw, holding on by the proverbial skin of our teeth

Full Match Report: Man of the Match ? Mooro?s for his tenacious, out of character, defensive innings to secure the draw

Champagne ? Captain de Wob?s ?defensive? six into the centenary oak

Teddy Bear ? Nick Sole (again!), dropping a dolly off Rupert at short mid-wicket

Spring still can?t seem to decide whether it?s here or not, but today we were blessed with another (the second of the season?) magnificent day for cricket. Our opponents were the travelling CYPOS team ? Can You Play on Sunday? They?ve fielded very strong teams at times in the past, and we knew we?d need to be at our best to win today. Due to what some might have called a ?calendaring miscalculation?, the team was going Atko-free, while the Atkinson family celebrated the christening of young Ottilie, Jimmy and Hannah?s latest addition to the club?s future talent pool.

Andrew de Wob stepped up again to captain the side, promptly losing the toss and breaking the news to us that we were fielding. ?Not such a bad thing?, someone muttered, ?at least we?ll probably get a full innings in the field.? So full of confidence, we scattered to various positions and the game was on. Andrew opened up with Rupert from the alpaca end, who bowled beautifully but without luck or the support he deserved from the team. ?Catches win matches?, but we dropped more than our fair share. To be honest most were not straightforward, but most of the culprits would agree that they were catchable and would have been disappointed not to have snaffled them. Hollis started the rot, by spilling a reasonably tough chance at cover off Rupert, giving the first of at least three lived to their 14 yr old opener. Our spirits were lifted shortly thereafter when Sticko, bowling from the village end bowled a Jaffa to the elder of their openers, who was castled without troubling the scorers. This brought another 14 yr old to the crease (were they taking the piss?) Surely we can get these young whippersnappers out cheaply? It would seem not. It would seem not. Yours truly managed to drop the young opener at mid-off. Spirits rose a little when Nick Sole made a wonderfully athletic dive at mid-wicket, only to hurl a terrible throw back to Mooro. Luckily their number 3 was still halfway down the wicket arguing about whether there was a run there or not, and we had our second. Rup, deciding that he could no longer rely on the fielders to pick up his wickets also produced a jaffa to remove their number 4, bowled for 13. Not too bad a position, 3 down for 68 runs off 13 overs. Rup was denied another by Sole-man, who was justly rewarded with the Dick of the Day award for dropping a skied top edge off Rupert?s bowling ? definitely the most catchable of all the drops. Rup had to be content with 1-31 off 8, which doesn?t really tell the story of how much he had it over the batters. Sticko finished up with 1-41 off his 6.

Wayne and Tim Clay took up the attack. Wayne finally picked up their 14 yr old opener when he got too cocky and tried to reverse sweep a good ball that knocked back his middle peg, but not before he?d added 77 to the score. He?d had at least 3 lives, but demonstrated that he has talent and will be a formidable opponent in future years. Wayne and Tim C bowled 13 overs between them, for just the one wicket. Wayne returned 1-49 and Tim 0-39. Kaz, their number 5 came in, tired and still hungover from watching the boxing late last night and belted 80 before retiring. Yours truly also managed to drop a tough chance off him at mid-off from Lakh?s bowling. Lakh started a bit short, but soon had some lovely flighted balls floating down the pitch, and was a little unlucky to finish with just 1 for 39. Mark Davis took a pounding conceding 12 runs an over from his 2, without success. At least a couple of his deliveries failed to contact the hallowed turf of the Meon and were accordingly despatched into the nettles around long on. Roshan, their number 6 invoked the mercy rule and retired on 14 to let some of the younger members of their team have a go. Sporting? Or just embarrassing? Sole-man came on to try and make amends, picking up another youngster to finish with a respectable 1-6 off 2. They declared shortly before tea, leaving us looking for 223 for the win, a decent total. We knew we?d need to be on our best to reel that in.

Tea was a good one, in the Meon style, but there was a lot left over when the next innings began. Rumour had it that the visitors had brought some tasty sub-continental delights with them and shared them about pre-tea, which may have reduced the demand for the Meon?s offerings. Unconfirmed reports floated about of Mark Davis tucking into a little sustenance while still fielding on the deep cover boundary. Luckily he avoided further scrutiny by failing to show at fines. After the lovely tea (albeit only half-demolished), Tim L and Chris Hollis strode to the wicket, intent on setting a good platform. They were confronted initially with another young recruit who bowled some good balls at a decent pace, but which too often moved away to leg. Tim L, after playing a number of unconvincing shots, fell first for 6, bowled off an inside edge attempting ?drive it to West Meon? as his captain described it. Hollis was calm and collected at the other end, until miscalculating a late cut straight into the hands of their gully fielder and departed, also for 6 and rather disappointed with himself. Mr Davis was solid and with his usual stylish array of shots, accumulated 21 before being adjudged LBW to a slow, looping delivery. Tim Clay played a few lovely shots and felt somewhat aggrieved to be triggered LBW by Sole-man. Just as well there are no reviews, and the umpire at the time declined to enter into further discussion at fines ? perhaps wisely!

Captain de Wob strode in to save the game and played very solidly against some good bowling, albeit not always consistently so. His well-struck six into the boundary oak after defending a few decent balls was definitely the shot of the day. Alas, he didn?t last long and was out bowled by a good?un for 12. Things were looking grim for the Meon. Well over a hundred to go, and 18 overs or so to defend. Could it be done? Lakh and Mooro came out to play their part. Would Mooro save the day with a swashbuckling 100? Lakh defended steadily for several overs, surviving a couple or borderline stumping decisions, but eventually spooned a dolly to short mid-on. A shot he will readily agree was disappointing. Mooro though, was displaying a most uncharacteristic resolve to defend and knuckled down, frustrating the bowlers with solid defence and occasional good luck to push the game deep into the last 20 overs. Nick Sole, our resident dot-ball specialist replaced Lakh and solidly saw off some more overs before feeling the harsh sting of karma when Tim C triggered him LBW for just 4. By now, there was little attempt to score runs. Easy singles were turned down, as they were deemed ?too risky?. Only an occasional swat of a wide ball down leg, or a bye that reached the boundary kept the scoreboard moving, eventually cracking 100, to muted applause.

It was down to Sticko and Mooro. Tension was rising on and off the field, but the teams continued to play in good spirit. Sticko did his best to support the cause, but fell foul of the Meon bounce (and playing across the line). This brought Rupert to the crease ? an imposing figure, he towered over the surrounding fielders ? their whole team in a tight circle within about 10 yards, all in catching positions. But he was not to be cowed and with Mooro, saw out the last over or so with unflappable calm. Mooro finished with 11 not out. Rupert remained on 0, perhaps harshly denied a run off the last ball by the new ultra-cautious Mooro.

A good, hard-fought draw for the Meon, played in a great spirit with a great bunch of people on both sides. And a well-deserved Man of the Match gong for Mooro, holding the side together under pressure.