David Bugge rolls back the years

Our annual Golden Oldies match at Headley was not quite as oldie as in previous years because of some last-minute cry-offs, but we got the required number of players to the ground and pulled off a three-wicket victory with two overs to spare.

Henry Watkinson lost the toss and Headley batted on a pitch in good condition despite 24 hours of rain. Eight overs in and we were on the rack as Moss smashed almost everything high and hard. But Watkinson, who had been hoping for a quiet day, stiffly brought himself on, and his extra pace was too much for Moss and the run-rate returned to more sensible levels.

David Bugge, operating on one knee, and Mike Chase then bowled long spells. Bugge, once fast enough to bowl for Oxford University, now sends down offspin with a fast-bowler’s temperament; Chase, once a good slow left-armer, sends down grenades. Whereas Bugge sought, and often demanded, a wicket with every ball, Chase gave batsmen several seconds to decide whether to go forward or back. Amamzingly, by the time the ball arrived they were befuddled and two were neatly stumped by Jock Vickers (shame about the five misses) and one apologetically patted the ball to midwicket. Chase's success did little for Bugge’s blood pressure although he snared two, including Richard Pollitt caught at slip.

A target of 214 in 38 was always on, even when David Westcott fell early to a dismissal that would cause many weaker men to quit – caught at mid-off by a youngster whose trousers kept falling down off a 12-year-old bowler. Henry Corp followed soon after, angry not so much at getting out as being caught "by the fat bloke". A decade ago such a dismissal would have triggered Krakatoa-scale eruptions, but Henry has mellowed.

Henry Corp punches through the covers

At 87 for 4 we were looking rather peaky, but Bugge and Chris Morgan rebuilt the innings with a stand of 60, Morgan smashing the otherwise impressive legspin of Pickering for 20 in four balls. Just as Watkinson showed a hint of a smile, Morgan missed a full toss and Bugge smacked a similar delivery to Pollitt at deep (and at Headley that’s rather shallow) midwicket.

When Damian Hill was out soon after we were 177 for 7, needing 37 off seven overs. Enter Vickers, our own Inzamam-ul-Haq but without the adherence to fitness or diet. On an off day, he looks as if his cricket tuition ended at pre-prep school ... but when he finds his touch, he hits the ball as hard and cleanly as anyone. He got off the mark with an effortless flick over midwicket, send a ball into the woods in the next over and ended the match with two massive straight drives for six off Pollitt. Even Chase, happy to play second fiddle at the non-striker's end, was rendered speechless. Seriously.