We only had a 9 man team for our conference fixture at Old Brentwoods, and were grateful to Jacob Holden and debutant Nadir Gohar for playing during their exam period. Old Brentwoods only had 10 players themselves which evened things up, although only 5 of our 9 players were present for the start, and the oppo kindly waited for our laggards (for a change not including Junky). Despite living 10 minutes away, skipper Alex was late himself, but did win the toss when he turned up and elected to field. We played on an Astroturf wicket, which was an interesting experience, but given the amount of rain we’d had it was probably preferable to a grass wicket.

Jacob and Alex took the new ball, and Jacob soon had the opening batsmen (and keeper Jo Spencer) hopping about as his pacy deliveries skidded off the wicket. The openers went for the shots and rode their luck a bit as runs initially came quite quickly. However Alex soon managed a breakthrough, as he won an lbw verdict on the second of 2 very good appeals. After beating the left handed no 3 a couple of times, Alex induced an edge with another fine outswinger, and Jo Spencer took a good low catch to reduce the Oppo to 21-2. Junky came on to replace Jacob, and claimed an LBW victim to dismiss the other opener for 9, and make it 36-3. After a good spell of 2-20 off 8, Alex was replaced by Tony, who after a couple of rather uncharacteristic wides, induced a steepling top edge to deep midwicket, and Richard Millett took a fine catch much to his own surprise and that of his teammates who confessed they made the ball a firm favourite! Richard’s moment of glory was short lived, as Tony recollected that Richard had never taken a catch off his bowling, having spilled 5 chances over the years! Junky then knocked back the new batsman’s off stump, and Jo Spencer’s quick hands effected a smart stumping off Tony Sawell to reduce the oppo to 46-6. Jo had earlier stumped another batsman off Junky only for the umpire to negate a close but clear-cut appeal. Junky claimed his 3rd wicket, winning an LBW decision to make it 53-7, before he was taken out of the attack with typically flattering and undeserved figures of 3-1 off 4 overs. Nadir Gohar came on to bowl his off-cutters, quite a successful bowling method for the Old CIts, since Peter Sawell achieved 1300 wickets and Junky Shannon has taken 980 wickets (albeit with non-turning off cutters). Nadir found a good rhythm, and soon achieved his first wicket for the club, bowling a batsman before Tony wrapped up the innings as Jo claimed his 2nd stumping to dismiss the Oppo for just 66. With 9 men, we had done very well to dismiss a team for 66, the bowlers were rewarded for very accurate bowling on a helpful pitch.

Much to Alex’s chagrin, the Bennett family also turned up to spectate. He had issued them with firm instructions not to bring a camera or to embarrass him, but they did neither. Their timing was perfect, as they just missed his good opening spell, and could enjoy the gratuitous abuse that was hurled in his direction for the rest of the afternoon.

With the oppo dismissed so quickly, we decided to postpone tea and try and knock off the runs. Richard Hillman and I opened the batting, and we started slowly against some good bowling. With the wet outfield, runs came solely in 1s and 2s with neither of us able to take the aerial route. The opening bowlers produced some good outswingers, which we just about survived, and we had put on 19 before vice captain Richard was given LBW by his own skipper. In fairness, Alex very rarely give LBWs, but hopefully his family got the desired impression that he is trigger-happy and saws off his own batsmen in their prime! Nadir joined me, and looked very well organised, playing some good shots through the off side. We took the score to 32 before Nadir was caught and bowled for 7, and I then made a poor attempt at a pull shot and skied a catch to square leg to depart for 13. Jacob and Richard Millett played some good shots before Richard was LBW to a daisy-cutter to make it 45-4 and leave us slightly jittery. Our jitters were alleviated when a new bowler managed 6 wides in a 12 ball over, and there could have been a couple more but for my leniency as umpire. Jacob played a nice cover drive for 3, before Jo Spencer ruined our attempt to reach the target without hitting a boundary with a well executed pull shot. We reached the target for no further loss in the 21st over for our 5th win of the season.

After a very nice tea, some of us stayed for a post match drink, and were rewarded with the spectacle of 2 nubile young women sparring gladiator style with inflatable mallets, as well as some blokes in bikinis- something for everyone!

I’ll give the man of the match to Jo Spencer for 3 fine stumpings (1 not given) and a good low catch, and for restraining himself from chuntering while the bowlers were running in, oppositions will miss his incessant prattle when he departs shortly for Australia!

Old Brentwoods 66 all out, 26 overs (Shannon 3-1 (4 overs), Sawell 3-16 (5 overs), Bennett 2-20 (8 overs), Gohar 1-7 (3 overs))

OCCC 68-4, 20.5 overs (Saldanha A 13, Spencer 10*, Gohar 7)

Result: OCCC won by 6 wickets

Man of the Match: Jo Spencer

Allan Saldanha