Chapman XI 201 all out (Chapman 58) lost by 1 wicket to Headley XI (T Laudy 61, W Midmer 63)

 

An overcast, blustery day greeted Headley and the Chapman XI this weekend. A strengthened home team looked to continue its proud record with this important game against the former captain’s team.

 

A slightly dishevelled skipper escorted the opposition skipper and lost the toss, consigning his team to their long sleeve jumpers and a spell in the field.

 

It appeared one member of the opposition team was not sure where he had mislaid his car during the Notting Hill carnival, so there was a bit of a scramble as the 12th man was called up.

 

In the mean time the Headley were opening bowlers were suffering slightly as their selection of youth and experience was being enjoyed by the batsmen with, in general, little alarm. Several loud LBW shouts were made- a feature of the vocal Headley fielding- one appeared to be a good shout for a caught behind, but umpire Doran was unmoved. After 11 overs, however skipper Midmer decided to call off the buffet, bringing on minor counties player Josh Pickering from one end and himself on the other.

 

This proved inspired as the skipper first removed the Headley Old Freeman's  1st team skipper Hopper caught at point, then next ball bowled a snorter to remove former Surrey 2's player Mark Costin. The hatrick ball was safely negotiated; however the new batsman Chew was soon left bamboozled by the minor counties leg-spinner. Pickering also saw off the dangerous Neil-Hall for 48.

 

This brought Chapman to the crease which encouraged the decibels from the first slip region to significantly increase. However, the first slip, Moss, was too busy attempting to sledge the batsmen to take an easy chance off Elborn. This poor drop was not costly as the Ashtead first teamer Deighton, making his Headley debut, was too good for the batsman.

 

Flash Gordon Banks with 17 and Chapman fought hard to take the score on from 83 for 5. At drinks home favourite Grant Waller took pity on the away team providing them with the 12th man’s phone number and for his trouble received a most un-Headley-like and unsporting dressing down from the home skipper, this caused a bit of consternation in the ranks as the home skipper forgot the ability to laugh for a few overs.

 

Safe in the knowledge the 11th player was on his way, the visitors gradually worked there way to 120 when Banks was caught. This brought Tom Reed to the crease, who was adjudged LBW second ball. The visiting skipper looked furious with the decision and was fined 25% of his match fee for his comments to the umpire from the non-strikers end.

 

This wicket introduced the hard hitting Andy Broughton to the crease and who proceeded to help Chapman push the score to the levels of respectability with an aggressive 37 – in the process overtaking Chapman. With the score approaching 180 minor counties spinner Pickering was brought back into the attack to mop up the tail. He was too good for both Broughton and the new arrival Winslett. The last man was James Calvert. During this slightly belligerent tenth wicket partnership, Midmer and Waller again exchanged heated words after Waller had been moved to the infield by the Chairman (unbeknown to the skipper) and promptly saw the ball disappear over his head for 4. Some unsightly verbal’s were exchanged as well as some huffing puffing. Midmer brought himself back in to the attack to vent his fury and was soon rubbing a sore neck as Chapman deposited him back over his head and over the car park taking the score to 201. He was then the last man out for a valiant 58 straight afterwards as he looked to work the ball to 3rd man and was caught by the hungry slip.

 

Birthday girl Christie Pickering (27ish) managed to rescue the tea from Mitch and before the teams had got too settled it was 4pm and the side were back in the field.

 

The Headley openers made very light work of an experienced visiting opening attack of Broughton and Calvert, playing a series of delightful flicks off their legs and drives through the off side field. The left handed Tom Laudy batted particularly well, racing to fifty and making his tall right handed partner, Will Midmer, look unusually bacalmed.

 

In fact the left hand-right hand combination saw off the opening spells of both bowlers and were more than equal to the off-breaks of Costin and Hopper as well as Winslett. Then with the away side fearing a 10 wicket thumping, Tom Reed, was introduced to the attack. Tom’s heavy right arm over bowling has been known as a useful partnership breaker and he did not disappoint, removing Laudy and Headley number 3 Tyson.

 

Sensing it was now or never Calvert and Broughton were reintroduced to the attack. Broughton removed the minor county player, Pickering, for 0 and Calvert managed to bowl Will Midmer who by this time had also made an excellent 50.

 

At 170-5 and with 8 overs left, the home side were definitely favourites, especially with the burly left hander, James Moss at the crease and the experienced Chairman, Andrew Pickering, at the other end. However, after this pair had taken the score to 195, Broughton found some rhythm from the Box Hill end and managed to remove the Headley Chairman well caught in the gully.

 

Then Chapman, introducing himself from the Cock Inn end, removed Moss clean bowled with a faster ball, beating the big batsman with his lack of pace. There was a huge amount of pressure on the home skipper Midmer who looked grim with determination as he trudged out to the crease. With a couple of good shots, he scampered a couple of singles, however, he left new batsman Elborn to face a wound up Chapman who removed his leg stump bail with a snorting Yorker.

 

In an intriguing moment this introduced the big hitting Waller to the wicket – however with their tiff earlier, not a word was exchanged between the captain and Headley regular. Unfortunately, after blocking his first ball, Waller top edged his second high up in the air to be well caught (at the second attempt) by the energetic Hopper at short cover. As Waller trudged disconsolately back to the pavilion, the watching masses stood well back as a chair was demolished by the Waller's three pound cudgel and he kicked a hole in the ladies loo...

 

So we then found ourselves in the last over of the match, to be bowled by Broughton. Headley needed 4 to win, the visitors amazingly has fought their way back into the match in the last hour and needed one more wicket.

 

The Headley captain was on strike, the experienced Alan Clarke at the other with his Usain Bolt scampering shoes on at the other.

 

Broughton’s first ball was also a dot ball while the crown huddled around the barbecue for warmth.

 

Broughton’s second ball was bowled, Midmer slapped a low return catch to Broughton who managed to get a hand on only for it to slip agonisingly out of his grasp. Was that it? was that going to be the last chance?

 

The third ball was hit into the outfield and the two batsmen scampered to quick runs.

 

Two to win from two balls. The crowd were on their feet (probably to keep warm) were peering into the gloom trying to see the action.

 

Broughton steamed in, Midmer ran the ball with a deft cut past a despairing dive from the gully fielder and ran one, turning to see the ball gathered, he called for the second and put his head down. Costin hurled the ball directly at the stumps, with an excellent throw. As the ball and keepers glove hit the stumps there was a huge appeal from the visiting team pleading with the Umpire Doran to make the decision in their favour.

 

There was a hush on the boundary, you could hear a pin drop then a huge roar as Midmer was ruled not out and Headley had won this fixture in the final over for the third successive year.