Friends Reunited

The Cricket week fixture versus the MCC was a case of friends reunited as the MCC match Manager was our own Jon Smith (Captain of the 2021 title winning 2nd team) who included in the MCC side current and ex Llamas David Gent, Will Irving and Steven Hirst as well as an array of Premiership players from around the Counties.
The Llamas side included just Richie Oliver and Seth McDowall from last Saturday’s 1st team as well as guest appearances from 2 Tonbridge School 1st XI players Sam Hadfield and Massimo Campagnale.

The two headed coin came down on the side of the MCC batting first.
David Gent opened the batting with Banstead’s overseas Patrick Rowe. Having scored a couple of centuries in recent MCC matches David wasn’t able to repeat the feat and was out to Will Brewis who started with a wicket maiden (1-38) as his 1st over saw David get a nick to be caught behind by Rory Haughton.

No ton for David today but there were 2 Centurions as Patrick Rowe (102 retired not out) and Sam Smith (Tunbridge Wells-Kent Premier League 101 retired not out) set about the Llama bowlers with almost every shot finding the middle of the bat and the gaps in the field with Charlie Forbes ploughing a lonely furrow fielding most of the shots that found their way towards the boundary on the Bowling Club side of the ground. Sam Smith reached his ton in the 29th over and was quickly followed by Patrick Rowe in the 30th over as lunch (Mac & Cheese) arrived with the MCC on 205-1.

The 2 retired batsmen were replaced by Tim Le Breton (Finchley CC, Middlesex County League) and Nav Patel (Preston Nomads 1st XI-Sussex Premier League) as the Llamas began to exert a bit of control on the run rate with the introduction of 2nd team skipper Harry McInley as over 35 brought only the 2nd maiden of the innings; and it was Harry (10-2-30-1) that got the next wicket getting Tim Le Breton (20) lbw for the 2nd wicket to fall to see the MCC at 233-2.

A brief visit from Will Irving (3) saw him pull Srikanth (5-0-33-1) to deep mid wicket for Will Brewis to take the catch with the score now 248-3 in the 42nd over. Nav Patel (37no) was joined by ex Llama Steven Hirst (27no) as the pair took the MCC up to 294-3 when the declaration came after 48 overs. Richie tried 9 different bowlers and even managed to find combinations of Mac & Cheese (Harry McInley & M Wilson) and Pac-a-Mac (Matt Packham & Harry again) and due to the unofficial Secrets Act some of the bowling analysis cannot be revealed.

With 20 overs from 5.30 the Llamas would also have the same 48 overs to reach the target of about a run a ball as Seth McDowall and Tonbridge School’s Massimo Campagnale opened the batting against Lewis Sharp (Finchampstead CC-Home Counties Premier) and Nav Patel (Preston Nomads). Early 4’s from both set the scene and the Llamas were up with the early rate before Massimo (10) dragged one on from Nav Patel (6-3-15-1) as the Llamas lost their 1st wicket at 37 in the 8th over. Rory Haughton joined Seth and pushed a ball into the offside and called for a single but the ball didn’t get past the fielder and Rory (4) was run out leaving the Llamas on 53-2 in the 16th over.

Sam Hadfield quickly got into his work with 8 fours but lost his partner Seth McDowall (44) when Seth was bowled by Sunbury 1st teamer Vishal Manro (10-4-20-1) for 90-3 after 24 overs. Sam (36) followed soon after caught at extra cover off the bowling of Steven Hirst and 99-4 after 26 overs soon became 107-5 after 28 overs as (Cheesy) M Wilson (1) was bowled to become Hirsty’s 2nd wicket.

With just 20 overs and 5 wickets remaining Srikanth joined Harry McInley but after a brief flurry of 4’s from Harry (mainly at the expense of Will Irving 2-0-24-0) and with the score on 138 the Llamas lost their 6th wicket as Harry (28) was lbw to be Hirsty’s 3rd wicket (7-0-22-3) as Hirsty showed he’d lost none of his old bowling skills where the ball doesn’t get too far off the ground, doesn’t have too much pace, wobbles a bit so the batsmen can never quite set themselves. Next wicket to fall was Srikanth (7) who was caught at mid-on by Nav Patel for Tim Le Breton’s 1st wicket for 139-7.

Alvin Richard Sathya (3) joined skipper Richie but fell lbw to Tim Le Breton (4-0-18-2) as the 8th wicket fell at 151 after 35 overs. Richie (40 no with 7 fours) and Will Brewis (3 no) comfortably saw out the last 13 overs adding 34 runs to see the Llamas get a draw ending their innings on 185-8.