Wealdstone Corinthians at Bellingdon on Saturday 2 June 2007 

I guess after the heroics of the previous weekend at Phoenix and the accompanying media coverage and speculation throughout the week it was almost inevitable that this week we would ‘come a cropper’, but defeat to Wealdstone by the not insignificant margin of 155 runs was a trifle disappointing! 

Only eight of the cup winning squad were available for this, and, sadly, they excluded two of the main contributors, Dave Peterson and Hitesh Parmar, both of whom were back under household arrest, earning further ‘brownie points’ that may enable them to reappear later in the season having exhausted a season’s supply of this mysterious but valuable commodity the previous week. 

This, coupled with an extraordinary number of the more ‘senior juniors’ opting to play golf for Ley Hill instead of cricket, enabled third eleven debuts to be awarded to Holly Barrett (14) and 13 year olds Michael Morris and Alex Partington. 

As far back as Wednesday I was apprehensive about the quality and organisation of the opposition, Wealdstone Corinthians. A glance at their website already listed the selected forthcoming weekend’s teams no less, and copious directions to the Bellingdon ground, along with dietary advice for before and after the game and a recommended training regime. We generally don’t know the make-up of our side until about 12.30 on Saturday lunchtime.       

The omens were not good! Aware that these guys had come some distance for a game at Bellingdon and that our batting line-up was not the strongest, on winning the toss I put Weladstone in, if only to prolong the afternoon to tea-time; a problem it transpired that the second eleven were encountering at Gaddesden. 

Meanwhile local media star Jim Rainey had been delayed signing autographs back at the club while his agent, Ian Peplow, was rumoured to be at an advanced stage of negotiating an appearance for Jim on ‘Parkinson’. In fact he was looking for his kit and apparently buying enough fags en route to cause the government to consider a no smoking ban in open spaces as well as public places. 

Denis McCarthy and Leigh Dale gamely opened the bowling but with 20 on the board after two overs the game was almost beyond our reach already, notwithstanding the vagaries of the Bellingdon pitch. Wealdstone went for their shots but we did take wickets, with Terry Rothwell claiming three and Denis and Leigh one each. At 120 for 7 the situation was relatively respectable but then it became apparent that Wealdstone had left two of their star batsmen to come in at numbers and 9 and 10 and after a certain amount of carnage that meant much of the afternoon was spent throat- deep in stinging nettles both inside and outside the ground searching for the ball, by tea time they were 221 for 9. 

A glance at their scorebook showed that they had dismissed the previous week’s opponents for 27, a few less incidentally than the 39 that the second eleven were compiling at Gaddesden! Oh dear! 

Special mention must go the magnificent efforts of Holly, Alex and Michael who between them sent down fourteen very accurate overs in the eye of the storm. Hollly took a wicket courtesy of a brilliant catch at point by Alex whilst Michael bowled arguably their best batsman at the end and caught the first batsman out.  

The other wickets went to a remarkable caught and bowled by Ian Peplow in his first over (which had already by then cost 16) and a lightning run out of a 65 year old by yours truly, my first for about 35 years.  

Alex’s catch apart our fielding was not of the highest standard and Denis was left chuntering to himself ‘Peterson style’ as he was the unfortunate bowler most of the time. 

We were very pleased to see tea, and also the rest of Holly’s family who very kindly provided a huge amount of assistance to Dave Mortimer in putting the finishing touches to one of his renowned ‘DIY’ teas. 

So off we went ‘chasing’ 222! Suffice to say that we fell some way short, despite some notable contributions (in terms of overs occupied at the crease if not runs) by Alex, Ian and Tim Kaye. Only Terry (12) and Holly (11 not out which put us all to shame) reached double figures. Alex in particular fought very bravely against some hostile bowling on a very unreliable wicket and has the bruises to prove it (sorry Mum) while for the first time in his 84 year career, Ian Peplow saw the need to wear a helmet. 

Eventually the innings petered out at 66 in the 38^th over with Jim trapped in front but Holly meanwhile had thumped two exquisite boundaries off their star bowler who the previous week had taken 7 for 15. The second, an off drive all along the floor for me was the game’s champagne moment. 

So defeat by 155 runs but we stretched it out to 7.20 (unlike the second eleven at Gaddesden) and the day’s bonus was the performance of the three youngsters, Holly, Alex and Michael. Well done the three of you. The rest of us are beyond redemption!