Refreshers at Castle Rising

On the Sunday of the May Bank Holiday weekend the Refreshers played Castle Rising in Norfolk. The day did not get off to an auspicious start given that seven of our players had stayed at the Rose and Crown in Snettisham on the Saturday night with predictable consequences. On arrival at Castle Rising their skipper, Chris Upton, said that he might only have 8 players. We had 9 by that stage, Skelton and Maynard having yet to arrive, perhaps having enjoyed a detour in search of the perfect bacon buttie. Furthermore the pitch looked a tough one to bat on and the outfield was covered in grass cuttings, suggesting very few boundaries.

The day improved however. Before the toss Castle Rising somehow clambered up to 11 players. And then having “won” the toss Refreshers decided to field, albeit with the buttie hunters still absent.

Well the nine players did pretty well taking 3 wickets (proper cricket wickets including a beautiful bowled by Saunders and a wonderful caught behind off C Bell). About 40 minutes in to the session, Skeleton and Maynard arrived and the latter was immediately introduced into the attack. The result was to be expected. Three lovely away swingers, followed by a big in swinger – result: bowled. And the chap he bowled was said to be their best bat, gone for nought. Lunch was taken with Castle Rising about 70 odd for 6 and soon afterwards the Refreshers wrapped up the tail for a total of 110. One further highlight occurred when C Bell was hit for a straight six. The ball went deep into an adjacent field. Andy Gardner hopped over the fence to retrieve it. However he did not see two horses on the other side of the field. They charged. He went to pick up the ball and after a quick fumble got it. Then he spotted the horses, which by now were thundering across the field towards him, snorting. He sprinted to the fence and just managed to clamber over it before they arrived. We should not laugh about this, but I am afraid that we did, because it was very funny. Anyway luckily no one got hurt. And John Maynard, aka the horse whisperer, had the horses calm and relaxed within a few seconds.

So it came to our turn to bat. 110. Easy, they said. Well it turned out not to be that way. With the exception of Maynard, who hit a wonderfully relaxed 28, everyone else struggled and we were about 60-6 at tea. But in a crisis what you need in your side is the Refreshers Club Captain, Anu Mohindru. Coming in at No 8 he made a masterly 32 n.o. as others stayed (and fell) around him. But Anu gave no chances. And while it was somewhat nerve-wracking as we moved towards the target run by run, we were always going to win so long as he remained at the crease. That is, of course, what happened. So – a win for the Refreshers in the first game of the season, if only by 2 wickets. And in what turned out to be a really enjoyable, entertaining and enthralling game.

DAQC