Boughton CC (01/05/2022) 35 over match
Result: Weekenders WON by 4 wickets (with 3 overs to spare)  

Boughton CC: 170 for 4 (35 overs)
S. Tyler 52 ret’d not out, A. Clayson 50 ret’d not out, C.Entwistle 30 not out
Douglas 5-0-24-0, Orwell 6–0-36-2, Hudson 5-0-37-0, Sharma 7–1-34-0, M. Husaini 6–0–23-2, B.Husaini 6-0-12-0, 
Catches: Laurie, B. Husaini

WCC 173 for 6: (32 overs)
Chagule 0, Laurie 17, Brockis 10, Cooper 50 ret’d not out, H. Husaini 11, Hudson 10, M. Orwell 24, B. Husaini  9 not out, Douglas 4 not out 
DNB - Sharma, m. Husaini
Hurst 2-28

 

Mike Orwell

We dined inside at the Lobster Shack for the first time in three years, on a day that had threatened gloom but delivered flashes of cheery sunlight.  Hudson and Orwell had both over-enjoyed themselves on the previous evening and required all the restorative qualities offered by the sea food platters. 

Arriving ON TIME at Mount Ephraim, Boughton opted to bat first. Des Shaw prodded uncertainly on a slow grassy wicket and was promptly caught by Laurie in the covers. Industrious Tyler and evergreen Clayson navigated the early movement to put on a hundred for the second wicket. Both retired at 50 allowing Parker and Battersby a crack at the ‘Enders. The run rate slowed and once again, the Husaini Twins struck telling blows with Max picking up two wickets (one smartly caught over his shoulder by his brother, running backwards from mid-on) and Blake was the most economical bowler of the day. Orwell yorked the vaguely tortured Battersby, leaving skipper Entwistle to bash the returning opening bowlers and establish a decent 170 total. 

There was no tea and many Enders may have cruelly gone without food for more than two hours, had it not been for President Smee’s cheese n’ ham largesse. 

We saw the second ‘royal duck’ of the season as Sid Chagule punched the first ball of the innings straight to point. Sid had earlier badly twisted his knee fielding on the slope near the bushes, and also arrived late to the Lobster Shack, so endured a rushed luncheon. Better luck next time Sid; thoughts and prayers…

Laurie had looked comfortable until he was run-out trundling to the supposedly non-danger end. Seth Tyler’s bullet throw from in front of the pavilion surprised everyone. Sparkles was in robust form and a series of half-trackers and full-tosses got bludgeoned to the cover boundary for maximums, where the thickety-bramble-monster claimed three more cricket ball victims.

Sparkles had scored so quickly that when he retired on 50, the required run-rate was a sedate four per over. However, tight bowling from Tyler and Gammage caused some mild concern in the pavilion. But after a dogged display by the middle order and some alert running between the wickets, it was left to Blake and Duggo to seal the deal with 3 overs to spare. 

There has been some discussion about the value of a specialist keeper at Test level. At our less-rarefied echelon, it was stark. The oppo tried three different part-time keepers who leaked 35 byes, compared to just one bye from our guru of the gauntlets, Darrell Brockis. When added to our faultless display of eating in the seaside refectory, the day served as proof that expertise and commitment will never go out of fashion.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Mark Cooper