Sunday May 27th vs Prince of Wales Marsh

Prince of Wales Marsh 71 all out (Raghu Kankate 8-5-8-3, Adam Fairweather 4.7-1-40-3)    Great Missenden Pelicans 74 for 1 (Asad Rehman 40*

WON by 9 wickets

Man of the Match: The weather

Fielding a team that combined youth and pensioners the Pelicans touched down on planet WIN, and a lovely planet it is.

Facing new opposition the Pelicans assembled at the meadow in a blaze of sunshine, in fact rather hot sunshine. With the wicket that had been covered looking lovely and green Skip made his way to the wicket with the oppo and tossing the lucky 2 Euro returned back to the clubhouse with a knowing smile, we were bowling.

Opening for the Pelicans we welcomed back Josh from the Nags Head End and suffered Toobes from the railway end.

The game it is fair to say was a bit of a strange one, Toobes opened up and the ball did indeed move around quite a bit, causing the batsman a few problems, but ok. Josh then opened up and combined movement with pace, as he then proceeded to take the head off the opening batsman, a lovely chap but foolhardy on the brave front as he stood there without a helmet. As Clive would say, “somebody will get killed out there”.

With the opener retiring to the clubhouse the next batsman came in with a helmet. Unfortunately he didn’t last too long as he was caught by Kunaal not before he had been dropped 4 times by Hasan on the same one attempt, but hey we all have our off days and no doubt Has would redeem himself.

Josh under instructions from the whole team to bowl a full length continued to bounce his way through the oppo and in no time at all the oppo Skipper was joining his opener in the clubhouse, a not so happy chappy.

With Toobes and Josh removed from the attack the scoreboard read 6 for 3 and 2 retired hurt, time for the big guns, or should I say Adam time ably assisted by Rags.

In no time at all Adam had the oppo dancing to his tune as a barrage of unpredictability left the POW bamboozled, almost as much as his fellow Pelicans. In all this bamboozlement Adam was on a hat-rick, unfortunately it didn’t come off but he finished the game on 7.4 overs 3 for 40.

Rags meanwhile showing the generosity of a hybrid Scottish Yorkshireman returned figures of 8 overs 3 for 8 with 5 maidens. In all of that precision Hasan was offered a chance to redeem himself and in true Pelican style ignored it and dropped yet another catch.

With the POW innings at an end extras was their joint highest score.

Tea on the other hand was a lovely affair as Susan, or as we know her, the Judi Dench of the oven, provided scones and cakes that just made the POW players keep coming back, an old trick but one that never fails…..amateurs.

With tea taken it was down to Asad and Kunaal to chase down the 71 runs required.

Kunaal in the form he left behind last season struck his first 4 shots for 4 a piece, Asad, and I am not being mean spirited here streaked his way ever onwards. Unfortunately this dream team was abruptly cut short as Kunaal fired a ball back to the bowler who managed to hold on to it.

Out strode Matt Smelly Harris who had adopted the same technique as Asad, in fact so streaky had these two become they should have been referred to as Smoked and Back.

There is not much I can say but somehow Asda reached 40, his last shot actually being a beautifully timed 4, finally he had come into form as the game was just about to end. Incredibly Smelly Harris with more singles than a speed dating evening showed he too could hit a ball and finished the game off with a lovely drive for 4 and 10 not out. Ding Dang Doo.

With the game over by 6pm refreshments were taken at the Keys and fines divvied up.

As I say a bit of a funny old game and on re reading my match report I would like to correct one inaccuracy, we took tea in the middle of our innings, so used am I to reporting the above version I got carried away and as I don’t know how to cut and paste it’s stayed there.

Reports are intended to convey an entertaining picture of the day’s play. No disrespect is meant, but if on occasion we misjudge matters, please take it in the friendly and humorous spirit in which it is intended.