Waverley feast

Excellent tea aside, visitors also happen to win...

A strong Waverley line-up made a return to Wood Street Village for the first fixture of the season's final furlong. Nine of the eleven even managed to arrive on time for a 1300 hours start, with Mongo and Mog both losing track of time (somewhat suspiciously arriving within minutes of each other). AC wasted no time in staging a bloodless coup as he stepped into the skipper's shoes, won the conversation and elected to bat first. The Waverley eleven (once all present and accounted for) consisted of Andy Minshaw ("the Mincer"); James Wright ("Mongo"); Russ Golding ("Raoul"); Sam Vass ("Peppa"); Simon Brewer ("KV"); Matt Du Gay ("Doogs"); Chris Beanland ("Beanie"); Bob Moxham ("Sponge Bob"); Adrian Day ("Mog"); Adam Carmichael ("AC"); and Peter Brewer ("Mr B").

It became apparent very quickly that the pitch was not one for the faint hearted, various patches either causing the ball to rear up or keep low seemingly at random. Nonetheless, Waverley's progress was steady until the Mincer missed a straight one and lost his off-stump. Mongo and 'mini-Mongo' Raoul kept the score advancing at a respectable rate, but batting remained cautious owing to the unpredictable pitch. Raoul eventually returned to the pavilion having gone in search of the boundary (he didn't find it), but Mongo remained and managed to ease his way past the fifty mark. But both he and Peppa were soon back in the hutch after guiding the ball behind to the keeper. When KV was also out trying to advance the run rate Waverley looked in danger of collapsing. But some lusty blows from Doogs helped steady the ship. Beanie's "hit out or get out" style unfortunately ended in the latter on this occasion and when Doogie's certain six was snaffled by the only fielder on the leg side, Waverley again looked to be wobbling. But Sponge Bob and skipper Mog contributed a vital partnership in the last few overs, the former certainly playing the shot of the day by breaking out the Spongescoop (like the Dilscoop, but with your eyes shut). Their seventh wicket partnership was unbroken and saw Waverley post a credible 174 at tea.

The tea was nothing short of excellent, clearly a ploy by the home team to render the visitors immobile as all returned for seconds before lumbering out into the field for the Wood Street innings. Doogs and Mog opened the bowling and after some initial full tosses, long-hops and leg-side nonsense creative variations in pitch, line and flight they both found a rhythm. Mog broke through in the eight over, castling Howard. Not to be outdone, Doogs struck in successive overs and twice rearranged the stumps. When Mog bagged his second wicket with the final ball of his spell, both openers had completed their regulation eight overs and reduced the home side to 50-4. Specialist leg-theorists Mr B and AC were introduced into the attack with the senior of the pair racing to three wickets in two overs, which included the politest stumping you’d ever have seen from the Mincer. AC got his name on the board with two wickets to reduce the home side to 63-9. Waverley were frustrated by the batsmen in their quest for the final wicket, but the first ball after the drinks break caused mayhem between the batsmen and allowed Mongo to return the ball to the Mincer for an easy run out; Waverley winning by 90 runs.

The Man of the Match Hat was jointly awarded to Mongo and Mr B for their performances with bat and ball respectively. The *Anchor Hat went to Raoul for bringing his mobile phone into the field with him. There was no award of the Pink T-shirt, but the Supporters’ Egyptian Hieroglyph Pink T-shirt went to Peppa (I think for some sort of dance, but I can’t remember). Waverley were then able to turn their attention to ruminations about the fairer sex. Beanie in particular demonstrated his credentials as a ladies’ man by saying this of a filly who’d caught his eye in the past: “lose the cellulite and we’ll talk”. As Doogs observed in cutting fashion, it turns out beggars obviously can be choosers...