Sunday afternoon started with the usual - for this ‘summer’ at least, weather related panic in the team-chat, which was quickly silenced with an accurate report of ‘no rain forecast’ from the skipper. And by ‘no rain’, what the skipper really predicted was a glorious July afternoon for both the weather and Pacific.
In the well-manicured grounds of Shepherd’s Cot, at Highgate Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, PCC set about flirting with the groundsman to get the low-down on the wicket. A batter’s deck he proclaimed, leading to Mutz opting to bowl first whilst the clouds still hung around.
A green deck means swing right? No, maybe seam? Clearly, we’d all missed our yearly dose of a TMS lunchtime session on why the leather does what it does…either way, the ball did in fact swing and also seamed, and Ahmad and JK set about their afternoon’s work from either end.
A good start from JK brought about the end of one of the opening pair, with Ahmad and Saad taking number 3 and 4. The sun soon started shining and this coincided with Ahmed, playing solo today and missing the usual Guildford massive, getting involved and bowling the first maiden (after one from JK) of the day to much applause. As the afternoon wore on, the ‘Tavs’ settled in with two batters reaching 50. PCC started to get sloppy in the field and BB, after a month of euro’s fever, momentarily channelled his inner ‘Arry and parried an overthrow across the boundary with a deft left touch. Despite lying on the floor when the throw came in, Mutz shouted ‘f’s sake’, so JK responded with a ‘that’s so village’, only for BB to wrap things up with a ‘f off’. Classic PCC supportive behaviour.
So we looked to Ahmed to turn things around though, and he did with a tactical wide thrown at the advancing batter, giving Mutz a stretch and easy stumping. Mutz then turned to Gareth and Akash who both bowled nicely for no reward, before Tristan, newly crowned as a death-overs bowler, took a couple of the tail in the final few overs.
After much tea-related debate pre-game, tea was taken and both teams enjoyed a novel, yet solid, 8/10 egg-fried rice and ham-sandwich combo. Notable mention for the watermelon and chocolate digestives too.
With sustenance consumed, Saad and JasBas opened the batting to a solid opening pair from the Tavs. Jas got off to a flyer, pulling his 5th ball for 6 into the adoring crowds and then raced to 18 and before being caught at mid-off. Saad and Tristan both made good starts before falling in their 20’s with the latter trying to emulate the inimitable BB at the other end, who’d not only had egg-friend rice but his Weetabix and was busy hitting every part of the ground with his classic Burnham-chop. Who says the cut short can’t be played to mid-on.
Faisal raced to 30 before Aakash joined Ben and they both clocked over the 50-mark setting PCC on course to an historic (since 2017) victory over the taverners. Mutz and Gareth did their best to save ink in the scorebook leaving Aakash and JK to wrap things up in style, which JK duly obliged hitting 13 of 6 balls to wrap up the game inside the 38th over.
With a pat on the back from the groundsman, PCC basked in the warm glow of victory and setting Crouch End sun – a rare post-game treat for this writer.
