Batsmen make hay before Night King strikes

By Jon Gale

• RPCC 275 for 7 (40 overs)
• BCC 121 for 6 (29 overs)
• Reigate Priory Win (won on net run rate)

Thanks to:
> D.Belcher for umpire duties (both ends)
> A.Packham for Scoring Duties
> Jean for the delicious teas
> Supporters for support

Blackheath 2s visited Priory for the first time in their history (Packers?), for a pre-season “friendly” vs Reigates 2nd XI... unfortunately, what greeted them was more a 1st team bowling attack, with some solid top order batting made up of a number of solid 1s and 2s ringers! The skipper Gale, clearly on knowing what “Friendly” means!

Galer negotiated the toss with a “we will have a bat ? - think we might be a little stronger than normal this week! How about you?” To which the Blackheath skipper responded “makes sense!”

So in to bat the llamas go, led by Hall and Tye who, in what is custom for Hall theses days, got off to a flyer...losing a new pill (ball) on the 8th ball of the innings! (Did anyone see Galer jump the fence...that’s 120kg...it was salmon-like!)… once Galer found a new seed in his slippers bag, the game continued...Hall smashing it to all parts supported by Tye who eventually fell, trapped in front for 6.

Saker joined the game but Hally fell shortly after for 41, floating one to backward gully, most likely due to being bored of Saker’s stories about his time at Band Camp aka Kent! Raja joined, hit a four, got bored, knocked off...which allowed British Citizen Matt Hutcheon to join Saker!

Hutcheon, used to Saker’s “stories” at work, got to building a solid partnership of 60 with Saker, that was before Saker played all round a straight one! Out for 32!

Gale joined, missed a full bungalow, and left the field to laughter...wondering why he decided to stay on another year! Irving joined Hutch, but it was short lived with Hutch caught for a solid 73. Stevens (45*) then joined Will Irving (32*) and the two saw the llamas home with some fine batting adding a partnership of 62 together helping the Llamas reach a total of 275 from their 40 overs!

Confident this was enough...the boys enjoyed a smashing Tea and watched the half time entertainment! Meanwhile outside, The battle for Winterfell seemed to be taking place on the legendary Park Lane Road! The weather had turned nasty!

But the Second Team...buoyed by the fact they knew they had Hodson, Stevens and Phil Munday...they took to the field hoping a solid performance could see them take victory from the hands of the Night King!

Hodson and Thilo opened up with both picking up a wicket a piece...Hodson dusting off his winter cobwebs, while one eye on the mobile for “that call”, still able to beat the bat for fun and at the other end; Thilo pretended to hurt himself to allow Raja to finish his over! Unimpressive stuff too - Raja that is!

A rain delay or 4 saw the game slip from Blackheaths grasp...so with overs being lost, Galer, under the advice of old man Saker agreed that a reduced total could be chased...100 off 15!

The weather also meant bowling changes Skippers with Phil Munday and Dick Stevens having a go. Munday bamboozling all apart from himself and Hally...while Dick ran down the hill, with the wind! Both picking up a pair of wickets each...however...not keeping the run rate down and Blackheath remained in touch with their new total...a close finish looming!

However that was all it was...The Night King won and we ended up rained off...however the Llamas bowled enough overs to take a win on run rate! Well done Llamas! Bring on Ashstead!