WEEKENDERS V AMPNEY CRUCIS 6.9.09

Ampney 189

WCC 120-5

Match drawn

 Spirits were bouyed when President Smee declared himself fit enough to take the field. He arrived in a vintage Rover wearing a green corduroy jacket and an eye-patch which gave him the appearance of a housemaster who’s obliged to keep moving schools. It’s a joy to report our leader’s evident recovery and exemplary conduct throughout the afternoon.

 The Weekenders 32 stone, 105 year-old bowling attack put the home batsmen under  pressure but the stranglehold was lost when Dunne sustained a triple fracture to his little finger and knuckle taking a sharp catch at slip off Douglas. The home side had made only 47 at the halfway point but rollicked along to 189 at the close. In reply, this season’s increasingly accomplished opening partnership of MacDonald and Lee kept us up with the rate and de Silva carried on voluptuously where he’d left off on Saturday. We kept chasing until five out but the target was always beyond us, and so two days of moderate achievement ended with Smee and Dunne gutsily blocking out a draw.

 But it could have been far worse: Dunne didn’t drop the slip catch off Douglas for one thing and the Avebury captain’s resignation after misjudging a boundary catch put a smile on everyone’s faces that will last the winter. Moreover in social terms the tour was a resounding, head-thumping, credit card-busting, furry-toothed triumph. For this we must thank the miraculous Jeyaratnam whose genius for tracking down an agreeable bottle and a comfy chair is unrivalled. Hopefully he can find a way to come back from Singapore for next year’s tour. The Stanton Manor hotel, Chippenham, has already offered to pay his air fare.

 Ampney 189 all out off 41 overs

Douglas 18-4-56-6, Dunne 9-3-15-0, d’Inverno 11-0-69-4, de Silva 2-0-28-0, Lyons 1-0-17-0

Catches: the book’s a bit vague on this but it looks like Fisher 2, Dunne 1, Lee 1 and sub 1

 WCC 123-5 (42 overs)

Lee 23, Macdonald 15, Lyons 4, de Silva 24, Jeyaratnam 4, C Fisher 6, W Fisher 1, Douglas 30, Smee 12*, Dunne 1*.

Debut: W Fisher (run out by his dad for one)