On a sticky over cast afternoon skipper Warner won the toss and elected to field, the team huddled before the start with the skipper keen for the team to lift themselves after the disappointment of losing their opening two fixtures, he gave an inspirational speech Churchill himself would have been proud of…he had the team chirping and buzzing for the start……Mark “Muzza” Murray opened from the Homebase end with a steady loosener. At the Hadlow end John “Chaders” Clark was given the nod to charge in from, after a straight 1st ball loosener he was quickly into his ferocious stride clean bowling the technically gifted opener on his 2nd ball. Muzza joined the party in his 2nd over New Ash were reeling at not many for 2.

After Ratty surprised us all with a fantastic throw from the boundary, resulting in a run out, NAG were not many for 3 and in trouble!

New Ash re-grouped for a few overs while testing the fielding prowess of Barney “wild thing” Gatting, John “Inzy” Owen, Andy “Ham Egg&Chips” Hammond to name but a few…..A flurry of New Ash wickets then fell, Clark claimed his 2nd with a deceivingly sharper delivery short of a length that the batsmen could only fend of to the safe hands of the agile Smudger Smith. In his 1st appearance the young gentlemen Hugo joined in after replacing Muzza, with a good delivery calling Muchy behind the stumps into action. Clark then claimed his 3rd with a caught and bowled with a sharply taken catch an inch off the ground diving full length to his right…..this was not an open and shut case as without the support his skipper and others around him who were doing the church mice impressions, Clark had assumed bump ball but decided to politely appeal as off his own bowling, good call Fingers raised the digit, world class caught and bowled…great support skip! The next batsman followed, took guard, but the sheer energy of the ball cleaned his stumps up 4th wicket and Chadders was on a hatrick! Then another strode to the wicket in the body of a finely built 13 year old, Clark held back and the new bat looked at ease at the crease, hatrick over! The skipper had a dolly of a chance to give Clark his Fifer in his following over but decided to give it the “Jacko” treatment, coco Warner fumbled. In no other particular order the young gent Hugo smashed a stump out of the ground for his 2nd, Clark then cleaned up the stumps at the other end for his fifer!

9 down for 52 after less than 30 overs, the game was looking comfortable. Clark finished with 5 wickets off 12 overs for 26 runs. The skipper eyes had been lighting up all afternoon and he quickly brought himself on for Hugo, without any immediate impact…he quickly understood the value of the straight bowling from the other end. A dogged tenth wicket partnership was developing with the dead hands of the number 11 but they were doing their job and sticking there. The innings was brought to an end with the score on 64 all out with Clark leading the parade off.

With the tea lady caught out with the early conclusion of the New Ash Green innings, the teams changed round straight away.

Skipper Warner decided in his wisdom to send the very village Hammond and Wright out to open and it was horrible….there were full tosses, cross batting galore and heaves to cow…Hammo mainly. Ratty considering his trans-atlantic exploits was looking good out hitting and looking the better of the two batsmen, they had the score at 40 without loss after 3 overs. Wright was unlucky with a call by Fingers the ump for a 6 call that got signalled 4 before then falling to a devilish delivery that he straight at pointish. 65 needed to win only one wicket down with 40 on the board.

Out strode Smudger Smith at 3 on the back of 50 the previous week and a recent purchase of a £180 bat that looked as if “Jacko” had been commissioned to make…first ball a half volley tempter that was left with good will power, 2nd ball nestled in the slips hands…good investment smudger!

The athlete Inzy came to the crease and shuffled around to see out the over. Start of a new over and a new bowler, Hammo looked even more village and was soon found out as he was sent back to the hutch. This brought Gatting and Inzy together to give the innings a touch of batting class that Hammo had done his best to lower, with the energy and athleticism now at the crease quick singles and 3’s were going to be favourite with the stroke play. These boys played us home with comfortable ease and we were finished by 4pm!

If any wives happen to read the web site this is 4pm George & Dragon Mean Time…..we were not in there until at least 8pm!

Well played chaps!

JC