With unseasonably cold weather forecast for this year’s Seniors vs Juniors match, and snow in the morning air, many arrived clad in jackets, beanies and gloves, well prepared for a bone-chilling day of cricket. Though the mercury didn’t top 7 degrees all day, a strong crowd of spectators at Wray were treated to a bonanza of run scoring in what turned out to be a balmy afternoon in the sun. A lot of talk had preceded today’s contest, with many controversially billing it as a generational battle between millennials and boomers, which had certainly ruffled a few feathers in the senior ranks.

With a formidable batting line-up and bowling attack of wily spin kings, the seniors headed into the game as the bookies' favourites to add a fourth victory in a row in the annual match-up.They won the toss and sent the fresh-faced youngsters into the field. After some testing opening spells from Ed Hart and James McGinnigle where both bowlers were unlucky not to find an outside edge, openers Toby Chasseaud and Jon Thornton had seen off the first ten overs at around 5 an over, Tom Gane – playing as the Juniors' mystery spinner – produced a breakthrough, bowling Thornton for 13. With that, danger man Rizwan Siddiqui soon followed for a duck, clipping his second ball into the grateful hands of Sharan Timbadia at short fine leg off Mendel’s tidy bowling.

Well set, Toby soon took a grip of the Seniors’ innings. He put on another batting masterclass at the Crescent and really started motoring after he passed 100 with relative ease. Several balls were lost in the process. The Juniors weren’t without chances to take him though, putting down two catching opportunities as Chasseaud sought to make them toil.

A special mention must go to James Soden, who took a spectacular Chris Jordan-esque one handed catch on the boundary at speed to remove Toby… or so he thought. To the crowd’s horror, square leg umpire Ebenezer Siddiqui signalled a no ball. Soden responded by verbalising what many of us were thinking, calling the grumbling old-timer a ‘joyless &#%!’ Toby carried his bat through, eventually finishing on 188*, which included 10 sixes and 20 fours. He was aided at the end by a useful 32 from John Deighan, as the experienced duo cashed in at the death to give the Seniors a very respectable 299 from their 40 overs.

In response, the Juniors got off to a promising start before Jasbir Basi was removed for 22 by the Seniors’ economical opening bowler Rahul Ravikrishnan. Amandeep Dhir soon followed him back to the pavilion after being bowled by Joe Deighan. A partnership was needed and duly delivered by opener Tom Williams and No 4 Sumeet Sharma. Tom played with aplomb and was unlucky to have been eventually removed by a ball that didn’t bounce much for an excellent 88.

At the other end, Sumeet was putting on a show for his family in the crowd, tearing into the opposition’s spinners and bashing them to all parts of the ground. The once chirpy outfield had been silenced. Sumeet scored at an impressive rate and ended on an imperious 136 which turned the game in favour of the young upstarts. He was partnered to the finish line by Harry Rogers, playing his first game back at Wray since breaking his finger here last summer. No sign of a hoodoo for him, as he guided the Juniors home with 35 alongside Sumeet’s ton.

Though the seniors face a long journey back to their retirement villages tonight, they took defeat with grace. The inter-generational hostility was soon put to bed as the two teams enjoyed a couple of beers together at the end of play. Until next year, Viva La Youth! 

Match report by Kaleem Luthra