Flemish Giants - 208 a.o. (Goran 78, Bredbury 4-49) lost to Headley - 210-6 (Chapman 87*, Pickering 40, Chew 25*)

Headley got their season back to winning ways on Sunday with a 4 wicket victory over the Flemish Giants.

There were rumours the Giants had picked up a few players over the winter season and as the skipper turned up flanked by at least 6 burly Afrikaners it was clear this years fixture might be more challenging than last years, when Headley had declared after 30 overs and then only had to prize James Moss out to be assured of victory. Still Headley were confident. For one thing Moss was playing for the home side this year, and after a refreshing swim the tall, well-built colossus looked fully prepared for the days play. In addition Headley had their other front row forwards, prop Alex Chew (a talismanic golden arm and inventor of the slow bouncer / full toss / wide half volley combo), and hooker Mitch Pickering who, as always, was hungry to field first.

The Headley skipper won his first toss for a while and then paused for a long think. The seconds ticked by, as the skipper considered the green damp pitch, the shortness of the pavilion boundary, the state of his side and the potential strength of the opposition. After a full 20 seconds it was decided that Headley would bowl in the helpful conditions, and look to use said pavilion boundary to help a chase. The opposition skippers face merely lit up with a smile, as he looked towards his powerfully built troops, already queuing up to crash balls around the practise net.

In truth the Flemish Giants were not a great batting side. In reality however, you would not have to have been a great batting side to profit from the opening spells served up by regular Headley openers Alex Mearns and Alan Clarke. There were a few good balls, notably from Clarke who remains in an unlucky trot, but they were interspersed with such utter dross that the Flemish Giants powerful top order were able to hook, cut, flick and heave their way along at 7 an over. After almost 30 minutes of play, ex skipper Philip Chapman, standing (for once) at slip, remarked that he 'hadn't seen one ball which would have hit off stump'. An exaggeration perhaps but more worryingly for Headley, despite an early run out, the Flemish Giants No.1 and No.3 had advanced the score with little difficulty to 80-1.

With events careering out of control a swift double bowling change was enacted and former and current skipper came on to bowl in slow-medium tandem. Chapman has been a useful option with the ball this season, but on this occasion he was potentially even worse than Mearns, bowling woefully short and being carted around with ease. It was left to the skipper to haul Headley back into it, with a bouncer and a yorker accounting for both established batsmen, and leaving the score at 86-3. From here on in Headley exerted some degree of control. Chapman was hauled off at his own insistence and the ever reliable Grant Waller bowled his left arm swingers to take two more wickets at the Cock Inn end before he too hauled himself off.

Things were going swimmingly for Headley as Tim Bredbury came on to bowl his off breaks and took a wicket almost straight away, one Giant falling for the classic Headley slow full toss. Sadly for the home side, the Giants No.5 (know only as 'Goran' to his many followers on the boundary) had managed to bed himself in after a ropey start and he now began to savage a succession of big hits off Bredbury, Midmer and the unfortunate Alex Chew, whose solitary over was treated with little respect. Goran's bottom handed, leg-side technique had initially suggested that he might get out at any time but unfortunately this didn't happen, and he was threatening to take the game away from Headley.

It took a sensational catch from Andy Pickering at midwicket to send him back to the Pavilion. The catch was as brilliant as it was surprising... following two full tosses, Bredbury called Goran's bluff with a third, the Afrikaners eyes lit up and he smashed a slog sweep which he could only have assumed would be another boundary. Unfortunately for him the Headley chairman plucked the exocet missile from the sky one handed and Goran departed for 78.

The rest of the Giants innings turned into a procession as Bredbury put a horrendous keeping display from James Moss out of his mind to pick up four-fer, with Pickering J bowling the last man. The Giants were all out for 208 and due to the aggressive nature of their batting throughout had only used a creditable 34 overs.

Tea was a slightly more professional affair than last week. Tuna, Coronation Chicken and a splendid array of pork pies all went down well.
The total was competitive, the batsmen were primed, and Headley were keen to put last weeks debacle behind them and chase it down.

The Flemish Giants opening attack was useful and Mitch Pickering was soon on his way as he gloved a lifter behind. James Moss was soon putting the memories of his wicket-keeping behind him and smashed a couple of breezy sixes into the trees to get the innings off to a flier. Headley stalled briefly when Moss tried to cut a wide ball and could only edge to slip, where a superb catch was taken low down. Moss lingered, looking longingly at Headley umpire Dickie Doran, but there was to be no reprieve and he was on his way. When Gareth Noble was bowled for a duck the game was on at 35-3.

Fortunately for Headley they had two class acts in the middle order. Former skipper Philip Chapman opened in imperious manner, hooking two attempted bouncers into the trees. Josh Pickering was soon easing the ball to the boundary with some classy glances, and a straight six into the car park to take the score past 80 indicated Headley's new found dominance of the game

The Giants were resilient however, and with the score at 130-4 Pickering eased an aerial cover drive straight to...cover, and the game was on again especially when a brief Andy Pickering's brief cameo was ended by another full toss, the Headley chairman showing that young and old can both fall for its charms. Fortunately for the home side Chapman looked in full command, racing past 50 with some superb shots, none more so then a classy flick through midwicket which raced to the longest boundary on the ground. With Alex Mearns granted a rare foray up the order with some sparkling cuts and drives, one of which crashed into the pavilion.

Headley consistently looked the better bet even when Mearns played on with about 30 needed. The innings was finished off in stunning style by Alex Chew, who emerged at number 8 to thump his second ball faced high over midwicket. Chew wasn't finished there as a glorious straight six sailed into the car park to bring the score past 200. Chapman finished affair with a disdainful crash through midwicket to go to 87*. A match winning knock

This was a good performance from Headley against a decent and competitive oppo, who were also throughly nice chaps and stayed for a beer. Line of the day came from Goran, who after his thrilling 78, a 3 wicket haul, and a dropped caught and bowled off Chapman which almost took his finger off, argued that what his bruised hand needed wasn't ice, but a cold beer. The man is welcome back anytime.

Headley were graced by a rare visit from Granny Chapman after the game. The doyenne of village cricket was heard to say "Given how awful the weather has been, your were lucky to get a game in. The player availability must have been good".

Headley will be hoping to carry on the form shown this week in next weeks game, which promises to be a tricky fixture against the Mogador Wanderers. The game should see a season's debut from last years Batting Cup winner William Midmer, who will be looking to put last years average of 101 on the line on what is an increasingly spicy wicket.