The Skipper and ‘new Bucc’ Greg Bull, aka Raging, arrived early at Newdigate’s sumptuous new pavilion and the sun in splendour, only to be told that the bar was locked. Not to be discouraged, they wandered over to the Six Bells to enjoy a refreshing Symonds and lunch provided in the form of a bowl of cheddar cheese cubes and a bowl of mini cheddar biscuits.
We returned to a pavilion brimming with full Buccaneers raring to play. The toss was conducted and won by the Buccaneers who deciding to bat first in a 40 over match.
Whilst the father and son combination of Jeremy and Ludo Milne were walking to the crease, Rydon exclaimed “I’ll do the first stint but where is our umpire?”. “He’s sitting in that car over there” was the reply.
The Skipper jogged over to the only car parked facing a hedge in a buttercup field and politely knocked on the window. “Are you alright to join us?” he asked. “Ooh have you started? I got here at 12:30” came the reply. “You can park behind the big pavilion over there in the car park”. “Oh I thought this was the only parking space in the ground..”
The Milnes started briskly with a solid opening partnership, scoring 81 in 10 overs with 8 fours and 3 sixes before Irvine, changing to round the wicket, skittled Jeremy for 21 and he cut a frustrated figure cursing the fact he hadn’t moved the sight screen.
Ludo progressed effortlessly to 95 scoring 10 fours and 6 sixes but it was almost as if he knew he was in the nervous nineties and started scratching around for singles. He probably wasn’t aided by the Skipper shouting out “he’s two away” and the opposition giving him a bit of “chat” and unfortunately this led him to plant a foot and uncharacteristically miss a straight ball to be LBW for 98. The Umpire remarked afterwards “bugger I should have blinked!”
Meanwhile, in the pavilion we negotiated an ‘honesty bar’ by pulling our own pints and enjoying the scene unfolding before us.
The Metcalfes joined the fray – Ollie abstemious and Will well lubricated – quickly hitting the ball hard to all parts of the ground until Ollie was undone by Beer who bowled him for 17 and he then wished he’d had one!
It looked like Steve Moules had had too many as after a quick single he was running his bat into the crease and it stuck in the ground and caused him to fall over and just manage to run his hand in instead.
He and Angus Berry were both caught after some quick runs and Will weighed in heavily with a 69, much to the delight of his wife, hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes.
With everyone delighting in a short boundary, two mighty ‘well seasoned’ (who wrote this?, ed) Buccs joined the party with Rydon hitting 3 sixes for a nice cameo of 25 and Leefe with two mighty ones over the trees for 27 not out, to finish the 40 overs on 315 for 9 – a Buccs limited over record.
The Newdigate innings commenced with Hobson immediately taking a wicket with the last ball of his first over and Rydon would have had the overseas Aussie bowled by a fabulous yorker, only to be denied by overstepping the mark. Hobson continued the good work recording two maidens in a row by beating the outside edge on 8 occasions. He then ousted the overseas caught Leefe for 18 and set up Beer with the slow, fast, slow, even slower diddly dobbler combo to record 8-2-30-3.
He was ably aided and abetted by Moules who struck in his fourth over cartwheeling the leg stump of Moon having only just missed it several times beforehand.
Unfortunately Hobson had to leave the field with a broken finger and a snapped tendon after almost pulling off a magnificent catch at third man.
Will Metcalfe had instance success taking two wickets in 3 balls in his second over.
After Leefe found his radar after two balls and a first over maiden he polished off Newdigate’s innings with three wickets in six balls and figures of 5-1-21-3
So we wrapped them up for 90 and a victory by 225 runs.
A good time was had by all in the bar enjoying their new pavilion afterwards and a delightful curry in the British Raj before the long drive home.
Innings of Buccaneers
J Milne b Irvine 21
L Milne lbw Devirj 98
O Metcalfe b Beer 17
W Metcalfe ct x b Roast 69
S Moules ct x b Wood 11
A Berry b Flower 18
G Bull ct x b Beer 3
R Rydon ct b Beer 25
S Leefe not out 27
T Fletcher ct x b Devirj 0
P Hobson not out 1
Total 315-9 (40 overs)
Flower 5-0-37-1
Moon 4-0-44-0
Irvine 6-1-27-1
Clarke 6-0-40-0
Moon J 2-0-18-0
Devirj 4-0-41-3
Beer 5-0-40-2
Roast 4-0-24-1
Moon A 2-0-18-1
Wood 2-0-19-1
Innings of Newdigate
K Irvine ct and b Hobson 18
R Flower b Hobson 3
S Clarke b Leefe 26
C Beer ct Hobson 10
A Moon b Moules 9
G Wood b Moules 0
S Roast ct and b W Metcalfe 16
J Moon b Leefe 0
J Butler ct x b Metcalfe 0
M Devrij not out 2
C Moon b Leefe 4
Total 92 all out (27 overs)
R Rydon 5-0-18-0
P Hobson 8-2-30-3
S Moules 7-0-17-2
S Leefe 5-1-21-2
W Metcalfe 2-0-6-2