Buccs 128 all out. Reigate Pilgrims 43 all out. Buccs win by 85 runs
A typically leisurely start saw the Buccaneers fixture with Reigate Pilgrims get underway a good 40 minutes after the official start time. Following overnight rain and an enormous boundary, skipper Berry decided that batting first was the obvious choice. Some tight bowling and the aforementioned long and wet outfield meant scoring was difficult for openers Berry and Fletcher. Despite this, they moved the Buccs to 40 without loss. Berry was caught in the gully shortly after and Marsh followed soon after that. Fletcher, meanwhile, was batting well and even managed to get a few over the boundary line, to ironic cheers from the Buccs who, at this point, were making good use of the Red Lion pub. Shortly before lunch Sutton hit one straight to square leg and called yes, unfortunately for Fletcher he obliged and was run out for a well compiled 27. Talk in the pub later, from the opposition no less, was that Fletcher was set for a hundred… no real consolation.
Lunch set the standard for Sunday cricket nourishment. A fabulous curry, cold cut meats, as well as more pints from the pub. A suitably stuffed batting line up took once more to the field in an attempt to set a competitive total.
Wickets began to fall in relatively frequent intervals until Robertson and Morgan came together. Both batters began to find the boundary as well as keeping the scoreboard ticking with singles into the field. Morgan, in either his 59th or 60th year as a Buccaneer (one for the club historian to fact check) set the example for many of the younger players on how to compile an innings. After Robertson fell foul to an LBW shout, the tail did a little wagging with some decent hits from Fishburn, on debut, who took the Buccs to what felt like a slightly underpar 128.
Opening pair Robertson and Pexton bowled extremely tightly for the opening 10 or so overs, keeping the Pilgrims at a sedate 2 runs an over. It took a piece of inspired fielding from Robertson to finally get the Buccs on the board with a direct hit from mid off bringing a wicket in the over before tea.
Another stunning spread greeted the team and with just twenty minutes to enjoy, half a dozen pints were quickly dispatched before the final session of the day. Berry brought himself on for the first over after tea and duly captured two wickets. Debutant Fishburn bowled excellently for his two scalps and the Buccs, bucking the trend of recent weeks, were brilliant in the field, taking a number of decent catches.
Berry completed his five wicket haul before Cosi Sutton (on debut) and Marsh mopped up the tail with a wicket apiece. A great display from the Buccaneers to register the first win of the season. Both teams retired to the Red Lion for a final beer (and a Merlot for Morgan). A longstanding fixture played in good spirit and with a lunch and tea that has sadly become a rarity since Covid.
Onwards to the Hurlingham Club.
Scorecard
Innings of the Buccaneers
A Berry Caught 19
T Fletcher Run Out 27
A Marsh Caught 5
M Sutton Caught 1
A Valentine Bowled 4
H Robertson L.B.W 34
C Pexton Caught 0
A Morgan Not Out 13
F Fishburn Caught 17
R Hobbs LBW 2
C Sutton Caught 0
Extras 6
Total 128
Innings of Reigate Pilgrims
43 All Out
Buccaneers Bowling Figures
Overs Maidens Runs Wickets
C Pexton 6 3 10 0
H Robertson 5 1 7 0
F Fishburn 7 1 9 2
A Berry 7 3 16 5
C Sutton 1 0 1 1
A Marsh 0.1 0 0 1