Pacific retained the Lindridge McDougall memorial cup at Mill Hill CC on Bank Holiday Monday after a gutsy middle/ lower order rearguard denied UCS Old Boys victory and restored pride after some tough afternoons so far in 2017.

Earlier it had looked like Pacific’s unfortunate losing streak was sure to continue, as UCS gradually took a grip on the game through the afternoon after a positive start by the PCC in the field. In sultry, sapping Bank Holiday conditions, Aravindan debuted well in an opening bowler role, while Stockton’s left arm angles and nagging lengths tested UCS’s openers. He was unlucky not to have opener Aziz first ball, but soon trapped him in front before encouraging noted children’s author Joe Craig to play on.

Oli Haill’s left arm skills saw Daniel Di Lieto mistime to Mutz at extra cover. Crazily, this would be his solitary wicket on a day in which he repeatedly passed the bat of century maker Ward and his voluminously bearded Aussie batting partner Tom Pickhaver.

We bowled lots of dots but anything full and straight was invariably hit up and over the pretty short straight boundaries into the nettle dense foliage separating us from the cows. Paul Davis bowled well, particularly when he bowled wide outside off stump to Ward. Aroon and Ahmed were held back by the skipper in the hope of bamboozling the UCS lower order and tail were brought on to try and break the formidable partnership. But they too had no luck on a slow, low pitch not really suited to their gentler velocities. UCS quickened the pace and finished on 244 off about 44 overs after which a weary Pacific XI refuelled with cheese, salami, ginger cake and satsumas.

Openers Sharma and Ilangovan started the run chase in a hurry before Sumeet’s off stump was clipped by an inswinger. Toby then joined Aravindan and stabilised until our wicketkeeper batsman/ bowler (22) picked out deep mid off looking to go big.

In a demoralising 10 minutes, UCS’ voluminously bearded, now helmeted Aussie caught Kieran off Orford at a funky short leg. Ben Burnham hoisted the same bowler for a magnificent lofted off drive before edging Chapman to leg slip. Then 2017’s bat master Stockton (342 runs @ 85) nibbled to conventional slip. Pacific were in the mire, suffering at the safe hands of the UCS close fielders. Just 50 on the scorecard and already five down.

Korgaonkar and Chasseaud have thrived in these situations over the years and they set about saving the match thereafter; Toby (58) made a statement of his intent with polished defensive work, assuredly making the most of scoring opportunities when they presented themselves. Aroon (14) played the ball customarily late, keeping out the straight balls and tickling runs off his legs in trademark Korgy fashion. After he departed UCS must have fancied their chances. But a weary Mutz, fasting for Ramadan, played the best of innings of his career so far with a key 24. Though he was exhausted, he wouldn’t buckle.

As the clock ticked round to 6 o’clock the countdown started and tensions rose. UCS skipper Chapman became ever more vocal, betraying his ramping anxiety in the face of a Pacific wall that couldn’t be knocked down. His opposition skipper drank several cups of Lapsang Souchang tea, talked a lot and walked a circuit of the boundary to calm his nerves. Then…..  Oh Jeebus!! Toby, who ‘looked like he could bat for the rest of the decade’ (Source: UCS Old Boys CC Twitter feed) was adjudged LBW to last throw of the dice Craig, who has a choice real life anecdote to entertain and amuse at dinner parties and other social occasions. Mutz, bent double with fatigue, played around a straight’un, but this was a day in which the Pacific wall would not be broken.

Under quickly darkening skies, long after the cows in the adjacent field had gone home for the evening, Oliver Haill and Paul Davis were still out in the middle. PCC’s number 9 and 10 played straight and late to deny UCS skipper Ian Chapman and his XI the victory a victory they hungered after like, to quote a UCS twitter post, ‘flies around a meat flavoured ice cream.’ Fielders crowded the bat and brought back their best bowlers, but Haill and Davis remained steadfast.