Presidents Day is always one of the high points of the cricketing year and much looked forward to. It is a chance to catch up with old friends and usually produces a high standard of cricket. Mick Reeve always keeps the composition of his team very close to his chest and this year was no exception but as they arrived, it was apparent that a lot of the usual suspects were present.
Tradition dictates that the Presidents XI bat first and set a target for the Club to chase which in recent years has been somewhere in the region of 300. After successfully chasing 273 last year, we were not expecting any generosity this year. What followed was one of the best and most destructive of opening spells imaginable by Alex Cudworth, who on a wet and somewhat helpful wicket, was almost unplayable. Beginning with a slightly fortuitous edge down the leg side, well taken by Howard, he produced 3 snorters to bowl Graham Neale, Nigel Cross and Bill Munday for barely a run between them. Louis Lynch at the other end unfurled some powerful drives by way of reply but then found the edge to a good ball from Toby Cudworth which went like a bullet to second slip to be well taken by Nick Wright.
At 5 down for less than 50, the innings looked to be in terminal decline but Dean Carter was joined by Jordyn Dyer who in the circumstances played an admirable innings in putting bat to ball and making a quick 33. Upon his departure, Dean was joined by the formidable figure of Monte Lynch and some normality returned to proceedings as they dug in, with Monte, despite not having played all season, managing to find the middle of the bat and they carried the innings through to lunch with the score on about 100 for 5.
After a splendid lunch, Alex returned to the attack together with Edgar and any chance of a recovery was quickly extinguished as Dean was bowled. Monte played one rather tamely back to Alex to give him a fifth wicket whilst Edgar picked up another well taken at cover by James Mann who himself picked up the last wicket and the innings closed on 127.
Whilst, this total appeared well short of par, it was obvious that the rather damp wicket would not make things easy for us and young Jordyn Dyer and Dean Carter bowled a tight line to our openers Edgar and Alex McGuffie. There followed a period of Fred Karno cricket as Alex appeared determined to get out whilst the Presidents men appeared determined to keep him in. First, Monte (shock horror) dropped a relatively simple one at first slip, an over later, Nigel dropped one at second slip and then Graham put one down at Gulley. Finally, a firmly struck drive was held by Malcolm Rutherford at mid off and Alex departed for 6.
Edgar and Rob Symondson put together a solid partnership of 50, Ed batting cautiously after a bad run with the bat and Rob as usual putting away the bad ball until Ed was caught for 23. Nick, suffering from a temperature, rose like Lazarus from his armchair announced that he was in no condition to run and therefore simply hit the bad ball to the boundary. Rob departed for an important 35, Ben McGuffie a quick 5 and when Nick went for a useful 30, LBW to a pumped up Dean Carter, 16 were required for victory. With me protecting an average of 226, there was never a chance of any big shots and it was left to Alex Cudworth to finish the game in his own inimitable no nonsense style with a 6 and 4 back over the bowlers head.
The match finished at about 5.45, before the final 20 overs could commence which left plenty of time for post match analysis and conviviality