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England beat Australia for the only time this summer
Old Cranleighans 122 for 2 (32.3 overs, Rob Merry 63*, Bob Hume 28, Damian Hill 22*) beat Primary Club of Australia 119 (30 overs, Hallt 48, Dom Lewis 2-18, Graham Webb 2-23) by eight wickets
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Rob Merry lofts a six to win the match
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Ed The Primary Club of Australia may not have provided the toughest opposition of the summer but they made for an enjoyable day's cricket. Their average age was over fifty and was possibly saved from exceeding sixty by the presence of a solitary eighteen year old. Nevertheless, the team, including Rolf Harris and Allan Border look-a-likes, applied themselves with enthusiasm.
The Primary Club struggled to come to terms with the bounce of the pitch and shot selection and found themselves four wickets down very quickly. Ed Henderson, captaining the OC's packed the slips and attempted to select the least menacing bowlers in an attempt to feed the batting side some runs. However the plan didn't work particularly well as Graham Webb and Martin Williamson proved to be just as hard to get away, the latter wobbling the occasional delivery wickedly.
When the batsman continued to find ways of getting themselves out, the OC's had to descend to the next level in friendly bowling - Bob Hume and Tim Payne answering the call with specific instructions not to take wickets. Both disobeyed immediately and the Primary Club finished up with a meagre 119.
The opposition's bowling was clearly their stronger suit. However just four OC batsmen were required much to the annoyance of Tim Payne - due to bat at 5 - who sledged Rob Merry and Damian Hill from the boundary as they inched us towards victory. Merry senior duly completed a workmanlike half-century, while Hill demonstrated why he will shortly be given the nickname, 'Boycott'.
Ed Henderson
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