After 9 fantastic tours to Mull under the belts of the Flamingoes, for the 10 year anniversary it was felt that it was only right to extend an offer to host Tom and his merry Muileachs in Edinburgh and repay, in small part, his hospitality from over the years.

Come Saturday morning the Flamingoes contingent found the 10 Mullards who survived the fairly lengthy train journey down and the after effects of the QCRs curry and beer based hospitality, looking puzzled. Where is the traditional sheep field with uneven bounce and short boundary? More pressing questions were: ‘Where is the beer?’ and ‘Are Tigger and Sogs still alive?’

The Flams had answers for the beer question thanks to match sponsor Stewart Brewing, who very kindly offered up many different varieties of their Edinburgh based beers for the day, all of which went down remarkably well and quickly! As for Sogs and Tigger’s whereabouts – well that was more of a mystery…

With the weather finally playing ball and a more traditional grass square, admittedly with only slightly more predictable bounce than Tom’s field, stand in skipper Paul Dounis sauntered to the middle with Tom for the customary toss. Last year it was established (after 8 years of getting it wrong) that the toss was irrelevant for the result. Paul proceeded, unbelievably, to win the toss and without hesitation decided to bat…forgetting that the mantra of ‘bat first’ very much applied on Mull but not so much on the Meadows. His affable and generous reasoning of “I thought we’d let them see what the pitch does first so they can get used to it” seemed to betray the harrowed look in his eyes of “Jeez what have I done by giving them Corne as a Judas”.

Yes, after a season of Corne wanting to lay siege to the Flamingoes Castle with both bat and ball and every single one of the other Flamingoes telling him to be quiet and volunteering pretty much anyone else to Judas over the season – he finally got his wish. Why, oh why, did we listen to him??!!

A couple of medicinal beers for all (mostly for the Flams to get over the shock of the Corne revelation) and Toby and Bob G were tasked with getting things under way, with Tom Nelson opening up the bowling for Glengorm. A positive start saw the Flams take 33 off the first 4 overs and well on the way to a Corne-proof target. Unfortunately what hadn’t been accounted for was the Glengorm spy (A.K.A. Sam D) who, having played for us for most of the season, decided to use his Kevin Pietersen-esque Judasing to good use to get rid of Bob; the Meadows pitch providing some sharp bounce and ball flicking glove through to the grateful Phil.

Then came ball of the day (arguably of the season). You really don’t want to receive a fast delivery that outswings, then nips off the seam to clip the top of off stump at any point, let alone first delivery – sadly that was exactly what Gnome got. It was a ball that would have done for most batsmen. A Gnome silenced, face set with a look of disbelief as he trudged off.

Ally and Toby (still not quite seeing the ball properly) managed to see off Josh, Corne and the rest of Sam, as the rest of the Flams breathed a sigh of relief. Toby reached his 25 and was replaced for a short stint by Wandsy who proceeded to miss a straight one from Dyer Senior for a duck.

Ally (15) was caught behind thanks to Phil using his face and catching the rebound, but Glengorm then had to deal with a bit of nurdling from Neil and Paul. It was to be a bit better than nurdly though as between the two of them they took the Flams up to the century mark before both departed the scene in quick succession. Neil (28*) retired with a one bounce four and Paul was removed by an absolute blinder of a catch from Tony Nunn at point; another look of disbelief from a Flam adding to the tally for the day.

The Flams then realised that Tom Nelson had another trick up his sleeve. By having one fewer player at the point of overs 21 and 22, he could bowl two Glengormers again…unsurprisingly Sam and Josh. Fortunately enough Ben, Ed and Jack managed to get just under a run a ball, even with a calamitous run out for Ben and Ed chipping to Tom off Josh. 121 the score and a solid opening gambit.

A few more beers and still no sign of a Tigger or Penguin…it was time for the Glengorm response. And what a response it started off as….for the Flamingoes. Ed’s first game since his knee problem at Inchcolm and it looked as if he’d not been away as he accounted first for Neil Dyer (caught by Ally for 1) and then had Greg caught brilliantly by Bob in the slips for zero. Ben and Toby’s miserly run rates offered little respite and even though Wandsy went for a few, he too picked up a wicket with the help of Ally; Phil holing out in the deep.

Unfortunately that meant that Sam and Corne found themselves at the crease early and eager to stamp their authority on the bowling. Sam did just that, eventually retiring on 29 after a strong showing. That was a largely secondary matter though as what was happening at the other end was to be the talking point. For all his mouth, pomp and fanfare, the Gnome had reason to shout watching a genuine edge off Corne’s bat not travel like an Exocet for 6, but instead get taken brilliantly for a second time in the slips by Bob. One of the biggest dangers to the Flams, gone for just 5.

Bob then decided he’d had enough in the slips and it was time for him to get involved with the ball as first he got Murray to drive to Ed at mid on and then bowled Tom Lines. With Ally having accounted for Andrew, Glengorm were languishing at 61 for 7. It was to get worse too as Gnome caught Josh at backward square leg off an over pitched Yorker (full bunger) from Jack and Neil bowled Tom Nelson with a sucker punch slower ball.

For the 2nd time in the day, the Flams made the mistake of thinking Tom wouldn’t make full use of the rules in front of him – namely he could pick someone to bat again to act as ‘12th man’. One guess who that was then…! So back came our own big Saffer (well one of our big three), only to be hit on the pads first ball in front from Neil’s final delivery. Out! But wait, no! The lbw warning rule from Mull (essentially the allowance for playing on a sheep field) had travelled 160 miles to be used to save him. Ho hum – a warning all the same.

Tony Nunn was watching his colleagues fall at the other end, content on just rotating the strike and when you have a unit like Corne in play it’s a very viable tactic, particularly when he boomed the first of his two big 6s. Ally did trap Corne lbw (2nd warning and out!) just before the end, but Glengorm managed to squeak over the ton to be 20 runs in arrears at half way.

Back to the Flams it was…and we had found the missing Penguin who had stopped cuddling his duvet for 5 minutes to come and join in the merriment. Robbie had also stopped toddling across a new big bridge and was duly placed with the Glengormers to stop us from having Tom benefit a second time from the ‘missing 12th man’.

The reversed order set and it was Craig and the Big Squirrel to set about extending the Flams lead. The Big Squirrel swished and connected a couple more times, though showed more delight in avoiding his duck than actually hitting the fours. The innings had a similar feel to 1st innings proceedings with the Flams losing wickets in clutches; Craig caught behind, Big Squirrel missing a straight one. Resistance from Simon (12) and Sogs (17) saw the Flams move past 40 before the next flurry of wickets; Sogs being run out (we suspect to his relief), Simon picking out Sam, Jack (1) picking out Tom N and Ben (3) having his stumps rearranged by Josh.

Ed picked up where he left off in the first innings compiling 17 more before Sam took his third wicket of the day and skipper Paul succumbed to Corne for 5. Neil (24*) and Wandsy (12) pushed the score on past the 100 mark, but not without adventure; Neil lucky to see a top edge fall between two players who were expecting the other party to attempt to take it and Wandsy being put down off his own bowling by Robbie. Robbie was to enjoy getting rid of his neighbour though next ball as Wandsy boomed it into deep midwicket where Corne took an impressive running catch. Robbie then employed the safer logic of 'let others do the catching' again when he had Ally caught for a duck although not until Ally had tried to ‘ramp’ Robbie. If the ball had been travelling any faster than the 10mph it was, then he might have been successful…he wasn’t.

A diving, sprawling unsuccessful run out ended the Flams innings with Neil and Phil flat on the deck and the Flams score on 118. 138 to win for Glengorm.

Tom started to make that target look a lot closer after the first few overs, blasting Ally for consecutive boundaries after Wandsy and Ed’s steady start. Ed had also accounted for Josh to pick up his third wicket of the day, proving full and straight was order of the day. Wandsy dashed off to make himself look up like Slash for a birthday bash so we employed the services of Ivan who had also found his way back from the new crossing. He was thrown the ball immediately and proceeded to bamboozle Tom N with a ball that actually turned. 3 more of the same and he finally broke through Tom’s defences to bowl him for 15. His next over saw him repeat the process against Murray, but this time the wicket came from a Dounis stumping.

Ben continued his push to the top of the wickets tally by bowling Tom Lines (8) and Sog’s Moon Ball accounted for a bemused Andrew (3) and the run chase was faltering. However all the Flams knew what that wicket meant - the signalling of the start of the stronger batting elements of the Glengorm lineup - Corne. Although Paul stuck with his tactic of bowling the Gnome, Corne wasn’t going to let him get him twice in a day and proceeded to pump the ball round the park. His 25* of 15 balls was back towards his destructive best and brought Glengorm back into it, albeit still a bit behind the rate.

His retirement brought Sam to the crease and, in a very similar way to Corne, Neil trapped him plum in front. Sam knew it. Phil (umpiring) knew it and the finger went up. But that dastardly rule kicked in to give Sam a second chance. Unlike Corne from the 1st innings though, he wasn’t able to capitalise as he shovelled a short ball from Simon straight to Neil at backward square leg.

With pressure being applied from Toby and then Bob, the run rate increased, but once Greg went to Toby and Tony’s stout resistance was undone by Bob, the trick was fast becoming to not take wickets with a retired Corne lurking with more than intent. Although it is difficult not to take a wicket when the batsmen floats a dolly up in the air, even for the normally drop happy Flams. Neil Dyer’s pirouetting had come to a calamitous conclusion two balls before his batting demise saw him lift one towards Ivan off Bob. It was a muted celebration though as surely that mean the Saffer back…….but no. We had forgotten that Robbie was going to have his say on proceedings and that they had a 12th man this time.

28 needed off two overs. Simple equation for Glengorm - see ball, hit ball. It was not made easier however by the fact that Toby bowled an excellent penultimate over, offering up only singles. Neil took the final over and it was another tight over with no opportunity for a boundary. By the time Robbie was run out by Ed/Neil it was too late for Corne to impact the final result of the match, even with Tom ‘playing for light’, as the Flams held on for their third victory in a row.

A tremendous day all in, some good cricket all round, in a game that was not in the bag until the last over of the day. Thanks to Tom and the Glengorm guys for making the effort to come across, we know our hospitality can't match yours, but we hope the beer helped! Huge thanks to match sponsor Stewart Brewing and Ed for sorting this. Thanks to Callum and Marshall and the team at QCRs for Friday night and final thanks also to the Flams guys who pulled it together and made it along.

At this point, Tom has asked that we underline the fact that it is still 7-3 to Glengorm over the years, which we fully acknowledge. It's going to be fun trying to make it 7-4 next year!

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I will make fleeting note of the bounce game, which started almost fully 25 minutes after the conclusion of the game in the half light. A couple of the Flams had been lost to the day’s exertions, but we had gained Tony and the long-lost Tigger! Suffice to say that the batting was ‘challenging’ with most of the batsmen unable to see it (not solely because of the light!). Only Sam, Phil and Ivan reached double figures (Sam’s 4 consecutive 4s off Ally ended Ally’s attempt at a hattrick in emphatic manner) and right at the end the batmen were simply praying it didn’t hit them.

What did provide amusement was as follows:
1. Corne’s 3 stumpings (2 in 2 balls from Ally) and a run out as keeper,
2. Another diving attempt at a catch in the field from Tigger (can’t fault the effort!),
3. Tony’s caught and bowled drop which he then shovelled onto the stumps to run out the Gnome
4. Tony’s very fleeting appearance at the crease
5. 3 batsmen from 15 scoring double figures and the other 12 scoring 3 or less
6. Ben’s hattrick of run outs as Toby’s team haphazardly tried to play what looked like ‘bunt and run’.

It was a suitable bit of mayhem to round off a very good day.

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