Grey’s Green: From Brothers in Arms to Dire Straits

On papers a very strong RCC side with strength and depth in batting and bowling met with a regular Greys team with a mix of the very good and the wily!

It was a beautiful day.  We had a new Australian guest in the team: Rolly Van Rol (yes really!) who was surely to be a talisman, and a young Cambridge blue (Ed Jones). We were confident… we even had a specialist keeper (Burrett not Hornby!)

We won the toss and the C’ptain (on instruction from AM!) put Greys in hoping against previous years, to bowl them out and chase.

The bowling was generally excellent even if the figures don’t show it. A spectacular opener from Greys, J Knight scored 102, a very good knock indeed. He was undone by a cheeky donkey drop from the Lord Faulks and an average (ok it was quite good….) overhead catch by Saunders.

Despite another Greys 50 we then managed to hold them to 210 which was we thought well within our sights…

In step the opening partnership of Mohindru and Faulks to attack some good seam bowling.  Anu was on form as was Ed.  The score raced along despite the canny Greys fielding.   But time not tide was against us!  Anu had tickets to see Mark Knopfler at the Albert Hall (a surprise spousal gift!) and did not have time to race to a ton.  This was all in the plan though and he, as asked, hit an excellent 54 before retiring (at that point RCC were 81 for 0) and heading central for riffs and frets. We were in good shape with much batting to come.

Then the RCC usual script.

81 for 1 (retired), 81 for 2 (Hayward duck), 103 for 3 (Barrett succumbs) (116 for 4) (The Blue’s eye not yet in)

In steps O. Roach with real purpose, determined to shore up the middle and re-establish the attack.  Then more collapse. An Australian duck.   Caught then between a rock and a draw, RCC decided uncharacteristic caution was the answer. Owen batted well (wonder if I’d put him in earlier…..) but then fell at 20 leaving Saunders and Hale to see the innings out to a draw with only 2 overs to go (Saunders being given out, stumped on the last ball!)

A draw but as ever, a special tea, a glorious day, capricious cricket and much fun with friends.

CSH

Erratum:

The valuable 10 overs at the crease by J Cohen QC were initial missed from the match report through the author’s amnesia rather than lack of memorable batting…. JC toiled well with Owen and obeyed his Caribbean instructions!  Well batted.