On Sunday 1 June, the Buccaneers ventured to South West London for the premier fixture in the cricketing calendar. The weather was pleasant, and we avoided the rain that was around the previous week. The Skipper won the toss, and elected to have a bat on what looked to be a good wicket. Chris Leech and Angus Berry started well, putting on 40 for the first wicket, with a mixture of clips and errant bowling for Hurlingham. Disaster struck however, with Leechy being dismissed by a ball that nipped back, and number three Steve Moules falling the very next ball. Milne major came in and added to the scorecard, remaining with Angus for a few overs, until holing out at deep midwicket for a dozen. The Buccaneers engine room faltered, with a mixture of good bowling and some dodgy bounces dismissing Sutton and Berry in quick succession. Sutton in particular, short of runs, looked solid at the crease, but got one that kept low from back of a length. When it rains, it pours…
In a precarious position and with 80 on the board, Simon Leefe and Jim Harcourt were at the crease, and began the rebuild. Simon was strangled down the leg side, to leave the Buccs short of 100, and with the team in serious trouble. However, Harcourt batted admirably with the tail, marshalling a zealous, if slightly hungover lower order. On weekend leave from Sandhurst, Officer Cadet Milne (minor) was dropped from his first two balls, but displayed character in a powerful, if slightly agricultural cameo. Crucially, he equaled his elder brother’s score. Good for family dynamics, bravo.
Hamish Robertson rocked up complaining of a hangover, requesting to bat no. 11 to give him time to recover. The Skipper showed no such mercy, and was rewarded with some lusty blows to bring the Buccaneers to 170-8 off their 40 overs. Harcourt 48* steering us to a below-par, but defendable total.
The Buccs took to the field, with Pexton bowling tidily, but without reward. He was the pick of the bowlers in an otherwise testing afternoon for the side. Moules continued his ‘dies horribilis‘, bowling with pace, but was targeted by the oppositions opening bat. With wickets required, on came the spin twins of Leefe and Archie Marsh. Simon, with the newer ball was managing to extract some swing into the right handers (?!), with the mere illusion of turn enough to cause problems for the batsmen.
He was rewarded with a contentious LBW decision from the umpire. All I will say on that, is that it looked good from square of the wicket. Nevertheless, we had our breakthrough, and spirits were high. However, there was no rest for the wicked, as the Hurlingham number three proceeded to continue where his teammates had left off, finding the boundary with ease and pushing the scoreboard on. Well ahead of the run-rate, we were in trouble. Hamish Robertson and Milne (minor) finished the innings, with Hamish bowling with shape and swing but with no reward.
In the end, our score was not enough to out any pressure on the batters, and Hurlingham scored with ease as they cantered to victory inside 25 overs. It was not our day, a combination of a wicket that got better with time, and some good batting by the opposition won the match for them. Nevertheless, drinks were had, and an evening enjoyed by all post-match. Credit to all who played, and came down to support. We will get them next year.