This weekend’s fixture started at 1pm and was a 35 overs each win or lose match without a barbeque. This was so that we could give Iffley Village a Jolly Good Hiding and still be home in time to cheer the England football team to victory in the European Cup Final. (Or not as it turned out sadly)

In the absence of Tim Riley Matt Carpenter was our leader this week and very fine job he did too!

Denise and Rhona were providing teas. We batted first so that we could linger over the tea for much longer. An excellent decision!

MSCC’s own swashbuckling Jay Mumtaz kindly played for Iffley Village this week and opened the batting. He looked comfortable and made 7 runs before being bowled by a superb leg stump yorker bowled by Hamidullah.

Iffley Village’s other opening batsman, a swarthy Australian fellow by the name of Sam Conway, enjoyed rather more success scoring 22 before falling to an excellent return catch by Anirudh.

“Daylight” Rob Berry came and went without troubling the scorers, bowled leg stump by Hamidullah. This brought Ben Davis to the crease. Ben looked a bit rusty to start with but soon warmed to his task. Ben scored a very good 51 runs.

Oliver Ross took an immediate liking to the deliveries of Seril Shah. To get off the mark he belted one of them for 6 into home wood. This was swiftly followed by another on to the pavilion roof. Oliver was mesmerised and becalmed by Simmo’s flight and guile and defended his wicket as if his life depended on it. (In fairness he refused to let me get him out as he felt that he would then feel obliged to emigrate – a bit harsh!) Oliver fell to a catch by Hamidullah off the raw paced death bowling of Timothy House

The Iffley Village tail did not wag. Thwarted by some very good bowling by young Ahmed. Ahmed ended up with 2 wickets (he would have three if the elderly chubby bloke at 1^st slip could catch!)

Iffley Village finished on 128 at tea.

And what a fine tea it was. Freshly cut sandwiches, chicken legs, sausage rolls, sausages in honey and mustard, homemade cakes and scones. Magnificent, thank you!

In reply for MSCC “General” Matt Bazeley opened the batting with “Reluctant” Rob Barton. Rob normally prefers to bat a bit lower down the order when the ball is a bit older and doesn’t swing too much. Nothing happened this weekend to change Rob’s opinion. Trinder the elder had the pair of them back in the hutch fairly promptly.
MSCC player Arvind was also on loan to Iffley Village and bowled a very tidy 4 over spell.

Anirudh batted very positively scoring 29 runs quickly, mostly in boundaries, before falling caught behind wafting at one of Oliver Ross’ away swinging deliveries, of which there were many.

Mark Ford-Langstaff was clean bowled by Trinder the elder without scoring. Mark gets jolly vexed when this happens, history has shown that it can affect his judgement if he is then called upon to umpire later on.

Matt Carpenter played a sensible skipper’s innings of 28 before he fell, bowled by the off spin of George, Trinder the younger.

Ahmed strode to the crease and batted beautifully. Simmo (still basking in the glory of his recent century) scored 2 before being adjudged OUT LBW by Livid Ford-Langstaff.*

Ahmed’s undefeated 42, assisted by Timothy House’s powerful cameo innings of 14 not out saw us home to victory.

This was a great day of English cricket. The weather was very warm. We had to put on sun cream instead of two sweaters. The opposition were right out of the Top Drawer. We hope we can welcome them back next year.

Many thanks once again to Chris Greer for his duties in the score box.

* I was actually absolutely plumb LBW. But I don’t like the truth to ruin a good story.

Simmo