Early PCC arrivals at the Bushey Metropolitan ground didn’t need Geoff Boycott’s famed pen or key to carry out a pitch inspection. A brief glance at the plant life on a length as well as a worm revelling in mid-pitch moistness was proof enough that there was still plenty of juice in the surface after Friday’s showers. Drying out in the Saturday afternoon heat, this was a proper sticky dog. Fortune favoured Pacific on the toss of a coin and we chose to bowl first on a special day which would turn into a bit of a classic.

Opener Tom Gane quickly exploited pitch vagaries (uneven bounce and balls holding up on the sticky wicket) by seeing off Syed thanks to a sharp catch at point by Mark Mehta. Big Jack Malnick was in at 3, the number 6 on the back of his shirt showcasing his predilection for a maximum. He has storied power. The property man presumably deals in salubrious spots but this time it was Gane who found an ideal pitch postcode to beat his flashing blade. At the other end Sumant Kumar was finding his typically probing length and it wasn’t long before he was in the wickets with a skidding delivery pinning Knight LBW.

Spinners Raf Ratta and Korgy now came to the party. With his darting right arm breaks, Raf prised out Somani thanks to an exceptional piece of fielding by Toby. Swatting a ball behind square on the leg side, TC’s powers of anticipation were Brendon McCullum-like as he moved to his right as the shot was being played to pouch the ball effortlessly in the Australian style.

It was a pleasure to see Korgaonkar bring to bear his left-arm spin skills at Bushey. He fooled the eye of Citizen’s topscorer Hopkins (35) with the first ball of his spell, who wouldn’t have known he needed to give himself time to settle against our bowler’s unique bowling arc. His beguilement continued thereafter.

In a micro-spell of three overs Reny picked up a brace and would surely have continued if it were not for the generosity of Mutz, by acquainting the Citizens’ tail with the gentler velocities of Mullens, having his first Pacific bowl in nearly three years, and Zahid Ali. Both Zee and K picked up a wicket or two. A last wicket stand of 16 between Kamlish and Mike ‘Junkie’ Shannon took their team up to a respectable 113.

After 38 overs in hot sunshine the PCC XI were delighted to take a break and enjoy a first proper tea in quite a while in the shade of the clubhouse. Nuggsy loved a bit of tea reportage and I can imagine him describing this one, with a good selection of sandwich options and samosas, biscuits and cake, as being “enjoyably munched”.

The formidable opening pairing of Mehta and Chasseaud started our reply after the break and looked in good order until Mehta was adjudged LBW to Shannon, having just hit a sumptuous four through cover region. 

Mark Woodland’s arrival at three coincided with first change Knight finding the prodigious inswinging groove that would see him take five Pacific wickets and nearly win his side the match. Wickets started to fall and tensions rise as both Mark, then Toby after an admirably fluent knock, fell victim to the Knight of the Bushey realm.

Thereafter there were a series of key collective contributions from most of Pacific’s middle order. Reny (15) and Tom (21) helped PCC gain momentum, both hitting sixes and fours in bright cameos. Kieran was adjudged LBW without having yet located willow on leather. Mutz combined his deft angled late hits, a perfect ploy, with one lovely straight four over the top, a facet he seems to have added to his batting repertoire.

Sumant ‘Special K’ Kumar arrived with Pacific six down and still needing 34 runs. The match could have gone either way as Citizens' bowling attack had strength in depth but the one-time Putney and now Twickenham resident kept his cool in the evening heat with a chanceless 25 not out. He summoned up some of his form of the 2016 season when he averaged nearly 40. Leaving the ball judiciously, employing his French cricket style bat out in front of the pads plan to nullify the LBW, he also essayed his wonderfully wristy flicks off his legs and through the covers.

It seemed fitting on this special day that it would be Aroon, with a characteristic nurdle off his legs, who would score the winning run. Korgy joined the Pacific 16 summers ago, one year after Nuggsy and the pair played many times together in the seasons to follow. After the game Korgy remembered that this was the first time he had hit the winning runs for the club since a big partnership with Nuggsy on the French tour of 2013 in the beautiful surrounds of Damazan in the South-West of France. A wonderful memory of a man who had a fierce passion for the game.

KM

Thanks

To the whole XI for making the quest out to Bushey, to Mutz for his massive match managing contributions, skippering + big drives out from Romford, to Mark Woodland for his impeccable scoring and Raf for bringing chcolate cake which was enjoyed post match.