A cool start to the afternoon on The Common was the backdrop for another encounter against the touring side, Arun Wanderers. One of the Nutter’s favourite fixtures played out to a draw with over 400 runs posted during the day.

Arun won the toss and elected to put Nuthurst in to bat on the lower wicket. Jonty Greenwood’s recently repaired cylinder mower delivered a short green track which produced some variable and lively bounce for the Nuthurst openers, Captain, Raggy Singh, and Jonny Willis. Willis made the most of the bowling in the early overs, retaining the strike and punishing the looser deliveries with boundaries through point and the covers. The quiet Singh nudged the ball safely for singles here and the occasional two there. Willis passed 50 with Singh snoozing on 16 as the openers set about building the platform. With their partnership at 115, Willis (77) succumbed to third change, left arm-over Gilham with a thick edge high at backward point, an excellent one handed catch taken by the young, but tall, Miller.

The experienced Prior joined Singh putting on 22 before Gilham struck again – Prior returning to the hutch with 9 to his name and an afternoon of wicket keeping ahead. Next in, Maarten Van Erps – a local batter – to take on the Arun bowlers. Quiet in demeanor but committed in his striking, Van Erps set about building another fruitful partnership with Singh. By this point Singh had decided to depress the clutch and move out of first gear – he had passed 50 and was increasing momentum on the Nutters’ scoreboard. Singh (72) finally departed to the slow right arm of Rees, caught on the 4th ball of his second spell, leaving Nick Sherlicker to take the Nutters on from 195 runs in the 36th over. With 20 minutes to go until tea, Sherlicker (35) and Van Erps (32*) put on further 45 runs leaving Arun with a total of 240 for the win. Of the 8 bowlers used by Arun, the pick of the bunch was Gilham’s left arm (8-1-26-2) and Hodson for his pace and bounce (8-0-31-1).

Whilst Van Erps was accumulating runs, his mother Eileen was busy setting out a wonderful tea! And with aching bellies the Nutter’s returned to the field to set about the Arun batting line up.

Early exchanges were a close fought affair with Jeremy James and Rob Keen teasing away, James being the tightest of the pair. Arun’s Mellor and Hodson played patiently, punishing the bad ball gradually chipping away at their deficit. First change Greenwood, from the top end, gave both batsmen much to think about with some quality swing bowling - a surprise to all that he was not rewarded with wickets.

Mellor (37) was the first to fall to the bowling of Singh, third change from the bottom end, with an excellent catch by Rob Keen running right of long off position. Enter Smith with a quick fire 22. With square cuts and straight drives, Singh was given something to think about before Smith (22) was eventually dismissed caught at first slip by Willis. The persistent Hodson (56) continued to make headway until the super-slow right arm of Catterall, protector firmly wedged in place, drew a blow to deep long off, an excellent catch taken by Nick Sherlicker, topping off an excellent display of fielding throughout the afternoon.

The challenge now in front of Nuthurst was how to dimiss the remaining batsmen now that we were well into the remaining 20 overs. Keen returned picking off the middle stump of Clark (10) on ball one of his second spell followed by Sherlicker’s right arm pace picking off No.5 bat, Rose (2), with a firm blow to the thespian Neilson at long off. Money was changing hands at a rapid rate as Neilson was deciding which costume to wear whilst taking the catch before actually taking the catch to wild applause from his adoring and relieved audience!

Singh and James picked up wickets in the last 7 overs, an excellent sharp catch being taken off James by keeper Prior to send Rees back over the boundary rope.

A somewhat inspired dismissal was witnessed with the catch of Greenwood, off Willis’s medium paced cutters, to Arun No.7 Miller. With a flashed edge to stood-up ‘keeper Prior, there was little chance for a catch until the rebound off Prior’s arm high to Greenwood at Gully – reminiscent of the Graham Gooch/Bruce French juggled catch in the 1986 Headingley Test versus India.

Arun were reduced to 176 for 7 but the Nutter’s efforts were not enough. Arun held out and the game was a draw. What is rather splendid about this fixture is the spirit within which it is played. The warm evening sun reflecting the warm regard for our opponents, Arun Wanderers… the last of the opposition left The Dun Horse at 10.15pm …. Say no more!