Graveney CC assembled at their guest home ground at Mynthurst under overcast skies. The weather prospects, combined with the lengthy travelling distances for the Bounders, prompted the skippers to agree on a 35-over game

To the sound of England tearing through the Indian middle order on the radio, Bounders front-line batsmen Summers & Higgins settled at the crease. Bunny(6-0-22-3), bowling the opening over of a match for the first time, bowled a full length and, accompanied by Pradeep Jain (4-1-11-0) gave the batsmen very little width to work with

The two openers fell quickly to Bunny’s straight deliveries with chances off his bowling also going down to stumpsman Dave Moody and Rob Davies who sportingly admitted that what seemed like a regulation slip catch to most (including the umpire) had, in fact, touched the grass

Praddy could not join in with the wickets but had bowled a very tight line and was replaced by Barry Gray (7-2-15-2). One can only imagine the level of excitement in Wee Tim’s trousers when Barry executed a simply stunning ‘caught & bowled’ to account for batsmen Paive. The Bounders man, using a bat once used by Sehwag in the IPL, absolutely drilled a ball back to Barry who dived and snared the ball some six inches from the ground.  A lovely memory for all of Barry in his testimonial season

Bunny switched from slow to very slow bowling after a recent elbow injury flared up and immediately took the wicket of Rowfor (caught behind) before temporarily retiring to the pavilion for painkillers. Jez Skidmore (5-3-11-2) was very stingy with the middle order batsmen and had Irfan caught behind before clean bowling the tidy-looking youngster Qasin. For once, it appeared that the Graveney bowling attack were working as a unit, hunting in packs like the England boys who had meanwhile thrashed the Indians to become the No. 1 Test team in the world

Jez and Barry were replaced by Rory MacCaskill (3-0-17-1) and Wee Tim Eveleigh (3.1-0-20-2). Of Rory’s 18 deliveries, by far the worst was his opening ball, a juicy long hop. Sensing a boundary, the batsmen (Dean) kindly mis-timed the ball to Nick Goodburn at mid-wicket

Wee Tim did not allow the flat tyre on his bicycle to deflate his spirits and joined the party with a brace of wickets, both catches (courtesy of Messrs Moody and Goodburn). All of the bowlers contributed and contrived to limit Bounders to a meagre 98 runs all out after only 28 overs

Bruce Graham displayed his ‘team-player’ mentality at the break, having prepared sandwiches enough for the entire Graveney team. Or perhaps he misread the instructions re. making and bringing our own tea. Either way, there was plenty on offer and Mrs Bunn’s sausages went down well once more

Nick (1) and O’D (0) opened the batting for Graveney but could not stick around, both being accounted for by bowler Christian. This brought Rob (34) and Bruce (42*) to the crease in the fifth over. Rob was dealing mainly in boundaries due to a ‘dead buttock’, presumably after a brief spell at Her Majesty’s (and his own) pleasure following the recent rioting in South London

Any doubts about Graveney’s ability to see of a small target were dispelled as Rob and Bruce carved through the bowling attack, giving very few chances in a stand of 77 runs

Rory (6*) came in to help finish the job off and Graveney had won by 7 wickets after 28 overs. A comprehensive victory against a very nice bunch of lads who joined Graveney for a pin or two after the game and we look forward to next year’s fixture