A HEADY DAY AT (HAIL-LESS) HEADLEY: A SEXTAGENARIAN INSPIRED WIN

Headley CC 151-9 (40 overs) lost to Nuthurst CC 152-6 (32.1 overs) by four wickets

For the second time in as many weeks, Nuthurst Circket Club took to the road to ‘distant lands’, this time westwards on the A24, to do battle with Headley. The village borders the Surrey stockbroker belt. And didn’t it show??!! A procession of exotic and expensive vehicles whizzed by the pretty little ground, perched on the side of Box Hill, hewn from ancient cordierite. (Although the illusion was somewhat shattered by another procession of Hells Angels and youths riding, or rather wheely-ing their Vespas past the ground).

Anyway, back to the cricket.

With the continuing vagaries of the current weather patterns expected, the Nutters rolled up, mostly triple-layered, ready to face the latest the weather gods could throw at us. Fortunately, they were with us, at least in terms of rain or hail, as the sun shone throughout the day, in stark contrast to Mannings Heath.

On what seemed to be a very green wicket, the skipper (who I shall try not to mention too much in this report to maintain the fans interest in these reports – I mean who wants to read about the standout of village cricket every week?!), chose to field (obviously). To say we did well for the first half of the game would be understating how accurate and efficient the bowling was, despite some T20-like wides given. Richie and Jonters followed Raggy’s and Chippy’s opening by being equally frugal all being aided and abetted by some of the best fielding I have seen in my two years at Nuthurst.

For a while, Headley’s skipper and S Hinslett threatened to change the course of the game by some, mainly, square of the wicket hitting, only to be undone by THAT man and what was described as Bob’s ‘15th best-ever catch(!)’. And, of course the on-coming of another of the five sexagenarians – Jezza, who was back to his bewitching best. The real battle – the one against the four under-15’s fielded by Headley had just begun: the number 10, possibly the oldest of the bunch, smoked the last over for 10, striding confidently down the pitch and calmly depositing three deliveries towards the leg-side boundary.

151 seemed like a tough score on this pitch. Jonny and Guy struggled initially, but then Jonny got his mojo back for a while, and Guy (after claiming he could see a thing! Note: sexagenarian #3) smoked a ‘slip drive’ and normal service was resumed.

My personal highlight of the initial period was Jezza remark to me , while umpiring: ‘ do you realise that you and Guy with a combined age of over 120 nearly just achieved an all-run four?!’ (There was flat refusal for the fourth, of course!).

Well, Raggy and Guy pretty much guided us home, despite being troubled more than once by the youngest of the under-15s – a 14 year old six foot plus fast bowler who on another

day would have had a five-fer. Bob and Richie saw us comfortably home with a few overs to spare.

Apparently, this was only our second win in 11 matches against Headley, so well done all.

Post-match the Headley skipper was congratulatory (but some may say unctuous!). He bemoaned their lack of strength and the inclusion of the youngsters as being the cause! And these were the ‘boys’ who bowled at pace, regularly beat the bat, helped hit the last two overs for 20 or so..hmmm!