Headley 224-Dec (Chapman 60, Hufton 46, Bridges 47) beat Old Freemen's 185-All Out (Winslet 74, Chapman 3-12)

The blue sky and fluffy white clouds were accompanied by a stiff breeze for the now annual season opener.  Waller who is reputed to swing both ways had elected to turn out for the Old Free's.  Despite losing Hopper's wicket early, Skinner and Chapman saw off the opening spell of Waller and Whiting, Skinner repeatedly shovelling Waller to the leg side boundary like he was digging a trench.  In all fairness to the bowlers the leg-side boundary was barely beyond the edge of the square. 

Whilst Skinner and Holliday departed Chapman was in sublime form taking several maximums all around the ground on his way to 50.  He had the audacity to ask if he should come in "to let someone else have a go", chided by the captain for his impudent question he carried on only another four overs before he mistimed a pull straight down the fielders throat at backward square.

With Headley crossing the 100 mark at 20 overs plenty of work was needed to ensure a competitive total was posted.  David Hufton was the man for the job, one of the few Headley batsman with the patience to build an innings which he did with his characteristic left leg plod down the track to protect his stumps.  With Bridges now at the other end swinging freely and collecting the odd boundary the score ticked along nicely.  The score began rattling along as Hufton gained confidence and started seeing the ball bigger than a beach ball, dispatching several fours to the short leg-side boundary and even a rare Hufton six was recorded.   The Freemen's cycled through the bowlers and as the partnership threatened to pass the hundred mark, a double jug avoidance then ensued, as both Bridges (47) and then Hufton (46) departed to some disguised "spin" from Camp.

Campo was on a hatrick but despite all 11 fielders being inside a 7 yard circle was unable to eek out the third wicket as Patel padded out.  New man Tayyeb threw his wicket away which brought in the highly anticipated return of Deadeye Deadly Derek Smith.  Patel paddled some dodgy full tosses to the boundary and the skipper had seen enough - a declaration at 225 for 7 seemed enticing enough for Freemen's to make a go of it.....

The Headley opening duo of Chapman and "Banana-Man" Bridges can only be described as so miserly it made the Chairman seem generous.  Even the normally thug like batting of Campo was frustrated.  Chapman struck first taking both openers, the prize scalp of Camp with a ball that jagged, in caught the inside edge, onto the pad and trickled on to the stumps.  Bridges then saw off the scourge of Headley past, D. Richardson, with a ball that had the batsman and the keeper moving to the leg-side before it swung late, seamed and clipped the top of off-stump.

A revolving sub was used by Headley.  Due to some selection oversights, Headley had turned up with 12 players.  Chapman was off and specialist slip fielder Deadeye Deadly Derek Smith (or DDDS) was on.  This moved Hopper out to fine leg which is exactly where the next ball went after a thick inside edge.  Some poor calling, even worse running and a Hopper throw like a heat seeking missile gave keeper Patel plenty of time to take off the bails and Old Free's were reeling at 24 for 4 off 8 overs.

With the batting order decapitated the game was as good as won but the next change in bowling coincided with the return of Winslett for Old Free's who after a serious injury seemed to have returned with a bionic arm.  Andy Hobbs and Paul Ashley were to suffer as Winslett distributed the ball to and beyond, the long-off and long-on boundaries as if teeing off at Wentworth (the shot of the day hitting the oak tree half way up).  At the other end Tayyab with his whippy motion and full length was causing some problems and after being taken for 14 runs in one over by Winslett had his revenge two overs later as he got one to hold up and Winslett skied one to long-off.  If the ball did not actually have ice on it, it was certainly a few degrees colder when it came down but Hufton made it look easy.  Winslett was gone for 74 but had taken score from 24-4 to 111-5 with help of Ben Whiting. 

With Winslett gone Clarke was bought on to use his naturally round arm action against the left handed Haywood.  After dispatching a four through the covers Haywood declared "I've found my cover drive" before mistiming the next drive and producing another skier to mid-off which was taken care of by Tayyab.

Hammond came on and produced his usual cameo (complete with silly hat), his departure brought in Conan with his 14lb bat (or Waller as he likes to be called).  Clarkey not only conceded a maximum to Conan at the long leg-side boundary but his car also picked up a dent as the ball smashed into the rear door.  (The profanity that followed cannot be reported here). Bridges vs Waller aka Brains (sort of) vs Brawn.  Bridges was far smarter and a slower ball should have seen Conan caught at mid-on but Skinner managed to ground it when it seemed easier to catch.  Some chat from behind the stumps by Patel and back up vocals from Chapman at slip disturbed Waller and he missed a straight one from Bridges (much to Skinners relief).

As Old Free's closed in on the target (50 required with 3 wickets and plenty of overs) the opening strike pair returned to mop up the tail.  Clarkey will no doubt be recalling at the annual dinner (and every other opportunity he gets) the sharp head high slip catch he took off Chapman to dismiss Whiting for 45, taking his career tally of slip catches to two. With only Innes standing in between Headley and victory Hufton (who replaced Chapman) sent down one of his wobbly ones , the umpire gave the benefit of the doubt when Innes was caught squarely in front of all three (only the man who fixes pipes could be plumber) but two balls later the leg stump rattled and it was all over for another year.