After a couple of cancelled matches, June finally brought good weather and a new Mandarins fixture against Taplow Cricket Club in Buckinghamshire. This was the third attempt to fulfill the fixture; COVID and the Cricket World Cup intervening in the previous two years. With the promise of the seasons first outdoor tea, an intrepid Mandarins team trekked outside of the M25.
Match manager
Somerville committed the first 'grave social blunder' of the day by
turning up in the colours of the opposition; his split loyalties evident
as Taplow Director of Cricket (with subtext that he is still waiting
for a Mandarin cap after 8 years play). Having won the toss, and seen
the scratch team Taplow had assembled from all quarters of the shire,
Mandarins duly chose to bowl.
Heard was
immediately in the action with his third ball: bowling Taplow's
professional footballer (name and team withheld so his manager doesn't
find out he was playing cricket). Despite steady bowling at both ends by
Heard and Eastaway, Taplow steadily built their innings. It took an
inspired one-handed catch in the slips by Hawkins, off the bowling of
Ramani, to break the partnership. Ramani quickly nabbed his 2nd wicket
and by the time Hurst had bamboozled the batsmen with his wrong-un,
Taplow were teetering on 139 for 4. Unfortunately, what followed was an
exhibition in boundary hitting as over 100 runs were plundered off the
Mandarin bowlers. Final score 245 for 4 off 38 overs with three batsmen
scoring 50's.
Following a splendid tea, the
Mandarins set about their innings with gusto. After Somerville departed
cheaply there were murmurings that the Mandarins were playing against 12
men. As penance, the match manager positioned himself by the bar to
take the drinks orders of thirsty batsmen at the fall of each wicket.
Wilmot and Baxter kept the bar quiet as they steadily accumulated runs
over the next 15 overs. Wendelborn's debut as the Mandarins overseas
player at number 4 was eventful; a rumour that he was a member of the
touring NZ party was quickly dispelled but he scored a lusty 18 runs in
true Mandarins fashion. After Manian was bowled by a mystery leg-spinner -
the mystery being how many balls would land on the strip - the
Mandarins inning was steadied by an excellent half-century partnership
by Ramani and Hawkins. The introduction of Taplow's opening batsmen to
bowl innocuous tweakers heralded a Mandarinesque collapse as Barton
struck 4 times for 5 runs scored. Despite the determined defense of
McIntyre, the team fell 7 overs shy of the 48 over target to save the
match. Final score 139 out. Highest scorer was extras with 43.
Our
thanks to Taplow for their generous bowling, their kind hospitality and
playing a timed match in the true spirit of village cricket. PS. I
promise to influence the batting line-up in Mandarins favour next year.
Drew Somerville
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