Scorchio. Nanny state warnings about being too hot to do anything were ignored. A run fest was expected as was a winning toss from the Buccs captain. Oh dear. With a brown outfield, a lot of chasing leather was expected.
Harry and Ollie Mann had other ideas. The first ball of the day was a perfect yorker but somehow kept out by OHJ’s opener. The next ball from Harry cartwheeled the off stump out of the ground.
Enter stage right, Mark Semmence, a true run machine against the Buccs. Some trade mark cover drives didn’t bode well, but then Ollie straightened one up the hill and the LBW appeal was upheld. Some acrobatic diving from Rich Hobbs in the gully snaffled another one. Before we knew it OHJs were floundering at 50 for 5 with the Mann brothers accounting for them all. Hobbs came on to bowl some liquorice all sorts and a full toss was smacked to mid off (safe hands from Harry). Hamish Robertson bowled an excellent spell (his first bowl of the summer) and got a wicket (safe hands from Ollie) Simon Leefe spoiled the effect by bowling their number 8 all by himself. Some resistance was put up, but Hobbs and Leefe snuffled it out and OHJs were all out for 139.
It was a thrilling low scoring game that everyone contributed to. Great food, beer and sherry was on offer and it is difficult to beat as cricketing day out.
Well this was going to be a piece of p*** to chase down. The captain, Rob Rydon, top loaded the order with Rydons (son Alex and brother Will) and was slightly chastened to find that he was the top scoring Rydon with 12. No matter, we had plenty of batting and Jim Mann and Jeremy Milne were steadying the ship until Jeremy was run out. Then Tom Fletcher and Simon succumbed to the offspin of Stuart Hall ( who in the end bowled a monster spell of 20 overs and took five wickets) and panic had well and truly settled in to Buccaneers. At 82 for 6 the match could have gone in all four directions, but Harry joined his father and proceeded to calmly chase down the runs. Sadly Harry was snaffled to another LBW decision and Hamish was needed to take us closer to the total It was fitting that Jim hit the winning runs and brought up his half century.
A crowd gathered to hear the closing speeches and listen to the Last Post as the flag was lowered on the OHJ’s cricket week.
Innings of OHJs
R Lunn b H Mann 0
R Willesdon ct Hobbs b O Mann 21
M Semmence lbw O Mann 19
B Moulton b H Mann 4
B Willesdon ct Fletcher b O Mann 0
S Hall ct unsure b H Hobbs 9
H Rose ct unsure b H Robertson 17
R Burgh b S Leefe 16
S Warrender lbw R Hobbs 35
O Welch b S Leefe 4
O Willesdon not out 0
Extras 14
Total 139 all out
Bowling
H Mann 12-2-33-2
O Mann 6-1-23-3
H Robertson 6-2-12-1
R Rydon 2-0-9-0
R Hobbs 8-2-28-2
S Leefe 10-4-23-2
Innings of Buccaneers
A Rydon ct and b S Hall 10
R Rydon ct B Moulton b S Hall 12
W Rydon ct B Moulton b S Hall 4
J Mann Not out 51
J Milne Run out 5
T Fletcher lbw S Hall 3
S Leefe Lbw S Hall 12
H Mann Lbw B Willesdon 21
H Robertson not out 11
Extras 12
Total 140 for 7
Bowling
S Hall 20-8-31-5
O Welch 4-1-2-0
B Willesdon 17.3-3-55-1
O Willesdon 6-2-13-0
R Burgh 5-1-12-0