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East Meon Sixes

As the end of June rolls by and the season marks its mid-point, the sixes arrive as a highpoint in the cricketing calendar, an all-day celebration of cricket, not taking anything too seriously, luck, some huge sixes and, as the day progresses and fielders start seeing double owing to time at the bar, some comedy fielding.

This year, we had no fewer than five new teams coming to the village, with defending champions the Bereleigh Bandits and Park Farm Raiders amongst the absentees.

Joining us for the first time were Porchfield from the Isle of Wight, the Hares - a touring side from Warwickshire, the Queens Head (how have they never played before?), Jack Martin?s Marauders and Petersfield Hockey, led by Jimmy.

EMCC Mother Duckers v Petersfield Hockey kicked off proceedings, with the hockey players winning by 10 runs, in the other group both Rogate and DACD were looking good, both teams that have played in a lot (if not all) of the sixes over the years, and both sides that get better and better with the years.

Porchfield started well, chasing down the Mauraders 57 with 8 balls to spare, and then beating the hockey boys with 4 balls to spare, before beating East Meon by 8 runs.

Meanwhile in group B, Queens Head managed to lose two matches one by a run and one on the last ball, and will be especially disappointed not to have tied with Rogate when a run-out chance went begging as the fielder (Will) managed to run past the stumps, ball in hand without actually connecting with the stumps to effect the run out.

And, for the first time (possibly) East Meon failed to get out the group stage and the Semi-Finals were Porchfield v Rogate and Hockey v DACD. With Porchfield comfortably beating Rogate and James? Hockey side coming up five runs short chasing DACD?s 75.

And so to the final ? DACD for the first time in 10 plus years vs Porchfield playing for the first time. Throughout the day, DACD?s openers had looked seriously good (well they?d actually looked like tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum, but had played like Sehwag and Tendulkar) ? and repeatedly got DACD off to a flyer before retiring on 25 ? but it was not to be in the final, all day Porchfield had looked like the side to beat, not just the batting, but the fact that they didn?t have a weak bowler in their six, and so it was that their relentless bowling restricted DACD to just 53, and despite losing a wicket first ball, they got home in no time to win with an over to spare.

Highlights of the day were many ? big sixes, the hockey boys getting to 99 against the Marauders, great catches, I saw Porchfield?s youngster take a blinder and James from the Queens Head surprising his team-mates with a diving catch that most people would have bet their house he?d drop, Chris Hollis tells me he also took a blinder, but I missed that, I?m sure there were more moments of brilliance that I missed (Tim Clay may have been on a hattrick at some point) and so apologies to all the feats of derring-do that are not recorded here.

And so Porchfield had won, fresh from the Isle of Wight and led by the irrepressible Callum, everyone was happy with the result and it was time to turn to the evening?s entertainment and party.

But before I do, it?s also time to pay dues to the hard work of everyone involved with the party. Tim Lawrence and Ian Cook had stepped up (been bullied / hustled into) taking over the organising, and alongside James Atkinson?s tireless organising of the sixes itself, the three of them had worked their socks off to deliver a great day and evening.

There was also brilliant support from everyone from the club on Friday who put up tents, tidied the pavilion, sorted the lights, and did all the 101 jobs that need doing to help the event go off smoothly ? a very special mention to Chris Moor who is selfless to a fault when it comes to supporting the club and Tim C for his work on the outfield (and of course our excellent groundsman).

And also a big thanks to our sponsors ? it makes a really big difference to know that the beer is paid for and to have their support.

The evening itself was an awesome muddle of dancing, live music, beer, more beer, burgers, chat, rum punch, more beer, more dancing and finally bed, 15 hours after it had all started.

It?s a big event in the calendar for a reason, it?s our principal fund-raiser for the club and an important part of the summer for the village ? it?s a time for coming together, sitting around chatting to neighbours while the sun shines and the cricket pitch is bathed in the golden light of a summer?s evening, there may have been up to five different whatsapp groups with sixes chat on leading up to the event, but despite (maybe because of) all the hard work it?s still my favourite night of the cricketing year ? here?s to next year.