Mongo Unleashed!

Waverley hammer Hambledon...

Waverley were looking to bounce back from defeat at Odiham in this season’s penultimate fixture against Hambledon. Tasked with getting Waverley back to winning ways were Andy Minshaw (“the Mincer”), James Wright (“Mongo”), Russ Golding (“Raoul”), Simon Brewer (“KV”), David Stockwell (“Stockrates”), Matt Du Gay (“Doogs”), Chris Beanland (“Beanie”), Simon Knox (“Chewy”), Sam Tempest (“Troy”), Adam Carmichael (“AC”) and Peter Brewer (“Mr B”).

AC won the toss and Hambledon were inserted in this 40 over game. Hambledon’s pitch is akin to a postage stamp, but despite the short boundaries Doogs and Chewy kept a lid on the run rate in the first sixteen overs and picked up some early wickets. An incredibly polite stumping from the Mincer saw Chewy bag the first wicket of the afternoon. Doogs, not to be out done, rearranged the stumps of the other opener and found the top of middle stump a few overs later. Waverley were forced into some bowling changes at sixteen overs and sensing that the home side could do with a few runs, AC brought himself into the attack and was murdered into the leg side for four overs, during which Hambledon’s number three cruised past his half century (having been dropped on three or four occasions).

Mr B fared better from the other end and eventually induced a false shot, KV holding on to the catch at deep mid-off. Troy was on for AC and took back control of the run-rate from that end. Despite a good spell of bowling, he was unable to prevent Burton bringing up his century. With Mr B bowled out, Raoul was tasked with keeping the runs down in the final few overs of the innings. He did a good job, generating a run out from Doogs (even if the throw into the Mincer was a little wide) and bagging a wicket for himself off the first ball of the final over. With the 40 overs concluded, Hambledon had posted a total of 214-7.

Waverley needed a shade over five an over at the commencement of their chase and AC gave the Mincer and Mongo strict instructions not to return to the pavilion until they’d made centuries... and really, that’s all that needs to be said in relation to the Waverley innings! With the exception of a couple of edges behind that didn’t go to hand, the Mincer and Mongo looked completely at ease throughout the chase. Mongo particularly enjoyed the short boundaries and pounced on anything too full or too short, racing past his 50 in almost no time at all. However, the Mincer was hardly taking a back seat as he too eased beyond his half century. Waverley were in charge and Mongo soon had his second century of the season. With runs still required, Mongo may have had one eye on Waverley’s individual highest score as his batting became even more destructive (no roof tile was spared during the onslaught). But with the Mincer still helping himself to runs, Mongo’s chance of becoming a record-breaker was extinguished. It was a six from the Mincer that finally delivered victory to Waverley, the visitors romping to a ten wicket victory with ten overs to spare.

Mongo was the natural choice for the Man of the Match Hat for his score of 141*, whilst the *Anchor Hat went to Stockrates for becoming the third Waverley player of the season to shell a catch over the boundary for six. The Supporters’ Egyptian Hieroglyph Pink T-shirt award went to Mr B for stopping the ball and then sprawling to the ground once it was stationary. The Pink T-shirt went to a hung-over Beanie for taking a nap at the start of the Waverley innings. A convincing win for Waverley wasn’t entirely above criticism from within, however, with the Mincer overheard to quip “Hambledon could have done with a few more runs... AC should have left himself on for another couple of overs.” Proof, if any was needed, that the vice-captain commands respect in the Waverley dressing room...