An imperious century from Mark Utting gave Eridge a stranglehold on a game that looked almost certain to be called off but missed opportunities enabled Withyham to hold out for a draw in the gloom.

Ed Harris, arriving on a chilly, grey Sunday afternoon, asserted, “This’ll be called off, surely.” He was not alone in thinking this; mutterings of “pints of Harveys” and “Arsenal vs Chelsea,” were coming from various quarters but in truth it wasn’t raining and the pitch though damp was quite passable. So after numerous meetings, the toss was made and the visitors were batting. Ellis so spooked the changing room with dire predictions of an unplayable wicket that even Jake was getting padded up.

Skipper Forbes turned to two mainstays to open up. Utting took little time in finding his stride and hit the cover boundary twice in the first over, cutting a short ball outside off stump followed by a back foot punch to a slightly fuller one on the same line. And he continued in the same impeccable vein for the next two hours. The only moment of concern was when Pearce found some extra bounce, and the former captain took a blow to the lower midriff but he was soon back on his feet.

If Utting in full flow was like the Berlin Philharmonic playing Beethoven, Goldsmith, at the other end, was more a pub sing-along with your mates; the timing a little off and the outcome not always matching the intent but not unenjoyable. With edges flying everywhere but to hand and the ball crossing the rope with regularity, Eridge were going at a fair lick.

Utting reached his half century with the shot of the day, a lofted cover drive for 4, and it seemed inevitable that Goldsmith, who was now seeing the ball like at least a squash ball, was surely going to do the same. Then he was inexplicably bowled by the steady Fuller and Fawls replaced him in the middle. “Giving himself a few”, he blocked out early on and drew an ironic cheer for the first maiden of the innings.

No nervous nineties for Utting; he brought up his hundred with a 6 over long on. To judge by his body language, it is actually possible to get bored of hitting boundaries and at 114, he stepped out of his crease and refused to move until the keeper had taken the bails off. When the scoreboard read 204 for 2 Forbes called his men in, leaving Fawls on 21 and Martin on 5.

The declaration gave Eridge a palpable psychological boost and as the batsmen took guard some of the side looked intent on taking the required 9 wickets in short order; the others were still finishing their cake and sandwiches. They made the perfect start when Ellis struck with the first ball of his second over, Bowen playing inside the line of one that clipped the top of off stump. He rearranged the furniture a second time in his fourth over when Whitehead, who looked to have played himself in, attempted an ugly pull. It was hoped that Hancock operating from the pavilion end would follow this lead especially as his nemesis, Parsons, was not around to ruin his figures. It was not to be and the next wicket came courtesy of Jake Pooley’s first ball – a mistimed pull taken convincingly by Martin at mid-wicket.

Next in was Buckle who bludgeoned and mowed his way to his highest ever score of 34; it took 16 frustrating overs to dislodge him – Forbes finally trapping him plum in front. Goldsmith took some cold comfort having Saxty, who hit four 4s from the left-arm spinner’s first over, caught at mid-on.

However, the damage was done. The Saxty/Buckle partnership had taken the momentum from Eridge’s wicket-taking and emboldened the next batsmen, Pearce & Mellors who soaked up another 8 overs. As the overs ran out the errors crept in - the byes were flowing and good opportunities at mid-off and short extra cover went to ground. For the last few overs the batsmen had a ring of close fielders for company but held their nerve and secured the draw.

Eridge Cricket Club

Withyham Cricket Club

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