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PRESIDENT' ELEVEN V CHAIRMAN'S ELEVEN

In keeping with recent club tradition, the annual Presidents day fixture got underway at 11.15 am sharp on Sunday 27^th Aug 2006.

As keenly anticipated as usual (though mainly because of the food), Andy Silsby’s collection of reprobates took on Brian Summers’ athletic charges on a blustery Wollaston August Sunday. Clearly intent on forcing his opposite number’s hand, Commander Silsby chose to bowl upon correctly deducing which side the coin would fall. This was to the audible dismay of his team mates keen on an easy morning with their feet up, but had the crafty chairman seen something in the wicket?

With the fielding side in position, previous year centurion, Liam Bates and Brett ‘the toad’ Hanson strutted out to face the music. Hanson was soon back amongst his team-mates, Darren King cleverly dropping his pace to take advantage of some early seam movement. Nick Shelton clinging onto a sharp chance, low down at slips, the first of three smart catches. Guest Martin Batley hit a nagging line from the other end, meaning runs were at a premium. Bates was next to go, unable to repeat his performance of 2 years previous, feathering a cut off Andy Luck to his dad behind the stumps. With leg-spinner Lucky extracting some turn and bounce, number 3 Paul Carter paid the price of his wicket for an ill advised sweep, the bowling disturbing his timbers. With a groggy looking Jones at one end, joined by a bleary eyed Driver and the score at 34-3, the watching President Barber must have been concerned it was not his year. An over later and with Driver caught at point off the bowling of guest and constructionist Lance Brown, the situation was grave. It was at this point that determined looking Jamie Perry strode to the crease and found a willing ally in the recovering Jones.

The two batsman set about seeing the President’s men through to lunch without further damage. With publican Ian Whiley combining with Brown to find a consistently good length, a tricky period was ahead but Perry drove imperiously while Jones nudged and nurdled and the scoreboard ticked along. With the spread prepared and the player’s minds straying to the delights that lay in wait for them, Silsby introduced himself to the attack along with fruity left arm spinner Chris Perry. The captain’s rare brand of lobs proved to be distinctly lacking in penetration and were dealt with accordingly by Jones, while Perry Jnr was particularly severe on his exultant brother. Lunch was taken after 35 overs with the score 125-4. Younger Perry was clearly in the ascendancy.

With a hearty luncheon consumed, the Chairman dragged his reluctant rabble back onto the field for the middle session. On a tricky wicket, scoring quickly was always likely to difficult but the batsmen toiled manfully. Perry was first to go for a commanding 27, mistiming an Andy Luck full toss high to mid-off where to everybody’s surprise, Silsby hung on. Boycottesque up to this point, Jones had begun to find the boundary with more regularity and a gritty century was mutely celebrated shortly after. The score pressed towards the 200-mark with guest print salesman Tom Woods at the crease before colleague Batley returned to secure the office bragging rights. After surviving three dropped chances, a slow handclap and two servings of desert, Jones was caught wildly slogging for an apathetic 119. First team coach Neal Perry was next man in sporting a pair of orange gloves, a familiar strut and what else - blue suede shoes. ‘Elvis’ was straight into the action, imperiously sweeping Andy Luck away to the boundary (please note, artistic licence - this ball did not actually go for four or six and may have in fact been a leg bye). The innings came to an end shortly afterwards, a challenging 204-8 the fruit of Summers’ men’s work.

Barnes and Shelton N strode manfully to the crease like matadors into a bullring and with Driver lurking ready to dispense the first over, this is a fairly accurate analogy. A collaboration with Duddle from the other end meant it would not be an easy proposition. For the first 10 overs ball dominated bat as the two bowlers jagged the ball past the batsman’s groping blade with relentless regularity. No wickets fell during this period however, and just as it looked as though they had battled through, Barnes was bowled by the impressive Duddle looking to pull. Shelton was next to fall, nicking Adrian Ward’s third ball into the gloves of Bates Jnr loitering behind the stumps.

With Tea drawing ever closer and stomachs groaning in expectation, Bates senior chipped tamely to square leg where Elvis made no mistake. Tea followed with the president’s men well set to complete a hat trick of victories over the hapless chairman. Some glum faces masticated their way through a mouth-watering selection rolls, sandwiches, cakes and buns, but would a stern talking to from their skipper galvanise this assortment of misfits? It didn’t look like it shortly after the interval with Luck, Batley and Lance Brown all out cheaply but the game was interestingly poised with 100 required in 20 overs and Chris Perry and Bobby Davro look-a-like King at the crease. Perry’s bludgeoning strokes advanced him quickly to 30 while King was happy to collect singles and watch his protégé at work. Just as it looked like Sils had found a winning formula, Perry suffered a characteristic rush of blood to the head and was stumped charging the tenacious Carter.

With a mountain to climb, King rolled back the years with a swashbuckling pull off speedster Jones but this proved to be his last involvement as he was on his way back to the showers next ball, a send-off ringing in his ears. The bowler managed to get his own back with a fierce, seaming delivery that roared back in, taking the outside edge on its way through to the wicketkeeper. Jones toyed with the opposition skipper with a series of unplayable snorters that left the bat-wielder mesmerised and it is with incredulity it is reported that he was not dismissed. The wily Whiley meanwhile took a liking to Carter’s left arm Cornish cooking and thrashed two boundaries as Silsby’s woes continued against Neal Perry’s off spinners. Perry soon finished the contest by bowling the landlord with a well-flighted turner.

As the coveted Trophy was again passed into Brian’s waiting grasp, Sils and his men were inconsolable as the winners tucked into the leftover gateau. Thanks as ever to Savory Paper as sponsors of the day, Darren King and Chris Perry for their hard work as organisers and to all the guests. Given a separate sentence to underline our appreciation for their efforts, a huge thanks to Katie Shelton and her team of cordon bleu assistants, Harriet, Lucy, Les and Gemma. The day would not be half as good without the fruits of their labours and I just hope they enjoy making it as much as we enjoy eating it!

CHAIRMAN’S Xl 204 for 8 in 55 0vers

Matthew Jones caught Nick Shelton bowled Martyn Batley 119

Jamie Perry caught Andy Silsby bowled Andy Luck 27

Batley 3 for 14 off 6 overs Andy Luck 3 for 37 off 11 overs

PRESIDENT’S Xl 119 for 9 in 55 overs

Chris Perry stumped Liam Bates bowled Paul Carter 32

Darren King caught Liam Bates bowled Matthew Jones 24

Adrian Ward 3 for 18 off 10 overs Jamie Perry 2 for 31 off 10 overs.