Following a year’s hiatus, the Buccaneers once again descended on that oasis of tranquillity and indulgence in SW6, The Hurlingham Club. Players, officials and invited guests watched on under the 28-degree rays of sun while the Buccs were put in the grass following the skipper losing the toss.
Once the typical moaning about starting in the field on the hottest day of the year thus far was out the way, the Buccs opened up the attack with the new ball (well supplied by Will Metcalfe) with Stephen E Moules from the top end and Ludo Milne from the other. Stephen bowled nice back of a length fizzers with no luck, especially in the second spell with a shocking drop at mid on by the tiring skipper. Ludo, however had a good degree of luck, coupled with skill and pace, causing his first two balls of both the match and his 2021 cricket season trapping the number two LBW and castling the number three batsman in successive wickets of his opening double wicket maiden. This was quickly followed with two more wickets in his 3rd and 4th overs, leaving the Buccs in a nosebleed position in recent years of having Hurlingham at 20-4 after just 8 overs. Ludo was cruelly taken off whilst waiting on a five-fer as he was fatigued in the midday heat. For the first time in a long time we had four genuine seamers, so Metcalfe and debutant Krunic came on bowling cheaky swingers and metronomic on the spot balls respectively. Sadly no wickets were delivered in this spell and it took a turn of veteran spinner Simon Leefe to take the fifth wicket before lunch.
The BBQ queue and jugs of Pimms awaited us and gave the players much needed sustenance before taking to the field once again. This was where Hurlingham struck up a powerful sixth wicket partnership of 127 through some sublime hitting from their wicket keeper / captain Kidwell and Handy Bat (soon to discover handy bowler too) Hugo Peterson.
Leech & Leefe delivered a couple more before we bowled out Hurlingham for 246 from 54.2 overs. The final victim being Captain Kidwell agonisingly falling for 97 (I do think the number 11 was pleased it wasn’t him stopping the skipper from getting the ton!)
It was now time for the Buccaneers to dust off the cobwebs on the batting helmets and head out. Eswar & Chris Leech led the charge with the latter falling for a score below his best and trudging back to the pavilion. Eswar played a measured innings, partnered briefly with young Leefe and then a lovely partnership of 72 with our overseas James Crichton. James and Eswar played delightfully and excited the crowd with glorious shots to all corners of the croquet lawn outfield. Stephen Moules then came to the crease, and batted with equal style and substance, hitting a run a ball 43 before eventually falling as the last wicket. Running out of a few partners along the way. Leefe senior gave a short burst of hope but a few ducks in the bottom half of the batting order meant that we weren’t to reach the target, finally falling 45 runs short of the target. The aforementioned Hugo Peterson taking 5 of the last 6 wickets with a blistering pace attack for a man with such a kind face.
It was a game played in great spirits with most of the spectators imbibing great spirits and weather to match the occasion. As with tradition we retired to the bar to while away the rest of the evening under the setting sun.
Hurlingham Club v Buccaneers – Sunday 13 June 2021
Innings of Hurlingham
Sam Rhys ct S Leefe b L Milne 5
Sam Maynard lbw L Milne 0
Matthew Bazeley b L Milne 0
Jett Beecroft c J Crichton b L Milne 7
Richard Cripps lbw S Leefe 17
Hugo Peterson lbw C Leach 87
A Kidwell b L Milne 97
E Beckwith c W Metcalfe b R Hobbs 5
John Cattermull b S Leefe 9
Alex Paterson not out 0
Extras 10
Total 236-9 dec
Bowling
S Moules 9-2-38-0
L Milne 8.1-2-31-5
W Metcalfe 4-1-14-0
I Krunic 8-2-46-0
S Leefe 10-0-45-2
C Leach 10-1-42-2
R Hobbs 5-0-24-1
Innings of Buccaneers
Eswar Kalidasan run out J Stanton 39
Chris Leach b J Stanton 8
Charlie Leefe ct A Kidwell b J Stanton 14
James Crichton c M Bazeley b A Paterson 43
Steven Moules c R Cripps b H Peterson 43
Ludo Milne c A Kidwell b E Beckwith 0
Simon Leefe b H Peterson 18
Thomas Fletcher b H Peterson 5
Will Metcalfe b H Peterson 0
Ilija Krunic lbw H Peterson 0
Richard Hobbs not out 3
Extras 29
Total 202 all out
Bowling
Hugo Peterson 12.1-3-45-5
Jonathan Stanton 9-0-46-2
Ed Salt 6-1-27-0
John Cattermull 3.1-0-14-0
Ed Beckwith 5-0-25-1
Alex Paterson 5-1-29-1
Hurlingham Club won by 44 runs